The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-12-24
Dewey Censured, Miles Scored,
Maclay Dismissed.
CHRISTMAS TIMES AT WASH.
INGTON
Not Characterized by Love and
Good Will.

Ever since the naval battle of Santi- |
ago, when the Spanish fleet was anni- |
hilated by our navy, there has been an
undercurrent of bad feeling between
the friends and enemies of Sampson
and Schley, in the navy, that was
greatly to the detriment of good order
and good feeling among the officers
and men.
In fact, the bad feeling antedated
that battle, and may be said to have
commenced when Sampson, then .
captain, was promoted over the heads
of a number of Captains and Commo-
dores in the Navy who were his supe-
riors in rank, and he was placed in
command of the North Atlantic feet.
The bad feeling was intensified when
Sampson suppressed Schley's dispatch
to Washington, giving an account OF
the battle of Santiago, and sent . dis
patch that did not mention Schley's
name in connection with the battle.
The suppressed feeling was smoul-
dered, but increased, till 1t broke out
in an eruption, when Maclay. who was
subordinate officer in the Navy, wrote
a very unfair history of the Nsvy's
part in the Spanish-American war.
which was approved by Mr.. Long. Sec
retary of the Navy. In this history,
Maclay charged Schley with coward
ice.
This outbreak caused Admiral Schley
to demand court of inquiry. The re-
port of this court stirred anew the
prejudices and passions of the parti-
sans on both sides, and the result has
been to force the President TO adopt .
severe course towards the principal Of
lenders in order TO preserve good order
discipline and the usefulness Of the
army and navy.
II Gen. Miles, the commander Of the
army, submitted to an interview at
Cincinnati, in which he endorsed the
opinion of Admiral Dewey, and said,
referring to the attacks upon Schley,
and the finding of the Court:
ST have no sympathy with the efforts
which have been made to destroy the
honor of an officer under such circum'
stances"
This was accepted as criticism upon
the friends of Sampson and the officers
of the Court of Inquiry, and being IL
contravention of the Articles of War
the President censured the. General se
verely, 10 person, and through an order
of the Secretary of War.
The Secretary in his order, says:
"The fret article of the regulations
governing the army OF the United
States provides that 'tae deliberstion,
. or discussions among the military con
2 taining praise or censure or any mark
Iof approbatiOn toward Others In the
military service are prohibi
ted.' This provision has been q par
of the army regulations for at least hall
a century, and the highest obligation
TO observe it rests upon the officers
: whose high rank should make then
lexamples to their subordinates. Any
other rule of action in the military ser
vice would be subversive OF discipline.
IL would not be tolerated in a subordi
, nate, and it will not be tolerated in any
D officer of whatever rank
Following the reprimand of Geners
Miles, Secretary Long, of the Navy
approved the majority report of The
Court of Inquiry in the Schley case
and censured Dewey for expressing th'
opinion, in his report, that Schley wa
in command of the fleet In the battle o
Santiago. This point had been decid
ed by President Mckinley and Secre
tary Long against Schley. and 1t wa
not one of the points submitted to tn
Board of Inquiry, and the declaration
of Dewey was therefore considered ex
ira judicial and in the nature of crit
cism of his superior officers. Hence tn
~ censure by Long.
Maclay, who stirred up the Who'll
rumpus, was removed by order Of tn
. President. Long should have remove
. him months ago.
II The whole CONTROVERSY has had
political coloring-the Democrats keel
ing 1t up to antagoni7e Schley and th
Administration.
The action of President Rooseve
has not been because he agrees or dis
grees with the report against Schle,
but because the Navy and Army of
j. GERS have publicly expressed their opi
lr ions on matters that were In course
ID trial, contrary to the Articles o. Wa
a. Discipline must be maintained
IS the army and navy, or both will lo
IL their efficiency. And the head of Il
IL, army and the head of the navy shoul
ne be the last to give any countenance
sn INSTRUMENTATION.
be