The evening times., 1900-01-03
SchIey and SAMPSON Araip.

II what We hear be true, Mr.. Mckinley
is about TO reopen the scandal OF the navy
| BY an attempt to secure from Congress a
! eyival of the grade of vice admiral for
he benefit of two officers to be named by
! ain. OF course the object of the move
nent is evident. Mr. Mckinley has had
sampson dinned into his ears by Long aud
! CTowninshield until he half believes that
/ the line captain who was hidden behind the
! horizon during the sea battle off Santiago
! was present at il. which he was not and
commanded in it, which he could net; be-
cause his assignment as ''commanderin-
chief was in direct and fragrant violation
OF the law, and, hence. null and void. But
Long and Crowninshield perhaps get
around this by holding that Sampson s
friends among the people with a pull must
De considered before any question of law
or JUSTICE. should have weight; and so the
pestered President thinks to shift the
whole disturbance from his shoulders by
making the man who commanded at San
tiago and won the fight a vice admiral,
but Junior to the man who was not there.
but who tried to earn the credit for the
victory by taking liberties with history
geography. and the eternal verities in
way calculated to establish a new record
IN that direction superior to any contained
in the Old Testament
There is one thing in the whole connec-
tion that We are utterly at loss to under
stand. and that is hoN Pres: s:dent Mckinley
can expect the American people to Justify
him il crCwniug with the laurels o. Santa
go man in no sense entitled to a single
leaf Of them. and who, moreover. is regard
I'd from the Atlantic 10 the Pacific almost
universally as a discredit TO the navy. and
with active animostty by tine popu;sct as
The Administration has had ample opp1.-
tunity to realize on more than one ccc9-
sion. But. for some amazing though un
revealed reason. there appears to be au
idea at the White House that Congress aud
the public will swallow the proposed dis
grace TO the service, and permit the chief
honors of Santiago to go TO Sampson, p-o-
vided there is given in barter for This out
rage a grudgirg trading, aud compulsory
promotion for the man to whom all the
hcnGr glory. and reward are due ii they
are due to anyone.
With all respect. we again urge rne Pres
id5nt not to trife with honest and impair
rial public opinion. The controversy is
not. as The Navigation Bureau ing would
have IL. one between the friends of The vie
tor and the friends of the pirate who would
cut in and flch the victory from him. The
quarrel IL between just American love ot
fair u.ay and a contemplate departmental
ccsul iiscy TO upset law and The regulations
and honorable precedents and tr- lit;ons OF
the navy. The vast majority ot citizens
who are onraged Al Sampson and his bu-
Tcau ring hackers are 60. not because they
care particularly for Rear Admira, Schley
as an individual; but because he represents
jhc right in this matter II We're far bet
ter thGt he Should remain in his present
rank. content TO rest on the pima
Gle OF popular respect and honor
upon which he stands in the
hearts Of his countrymen. and in the
history Of the Spanish war. than for Sena-
tors and Members of Congress. and all who
believe in and demand equity. to consent
Ihal he be made a vice admiral at tac prico
Of deadly crime against truth. justice.
and decency at its lowest conception.
If Sampson ought to be Eiyln any honor
at all, Sehley is not entitled 30 thought
of such a thing. If Sampson Is TO be
erected into national figure on account Of
the defeat of Ceryera, then The Admins
traJion should not hesitate TO 90 a step
further: for. in that case. it would be only
fair 10 create the rank Of Field MarsnaI in
the army and confer it upon Wellington Of
Maryland for the rout of Napoleon at Wa
InrInn-