The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-28
THE SOBER SECOND THOUGHT.

In the course of few years those who
have noted the drift of public sentiment
have seen the mass OF people apparently
greatly excited for a brief season regarding
some topic Of public interest. In August,
September and October of 1898 hue and
cry was raised to the effect that the adj
ministration and the military authorities
did not provide for the proper feeding of
the army and for the welfare of the thou
sands who were i'll. Stories were told of
the neglect of the soldiers who had been
in Cuba and the inadequate hospital ac-
commodations at Montauk Point and the
lack of all sanitary regulations at the
great camps like Chickamauga. Yellow
newspapers filled their columns with ex-
aggerated and false stories Of the suffering
and neglect Of the men. The whole coun-
try was filled with Indignation. If an cleo
ton had been held in early October. and
President Mckinley had been candidate,
he would have run great risk of defeat.
BY the last of October accurate reports of
the hospitals, the camps and the provisions
made for the sick were presented and the
feeling gradually died out. The 16-to-1
craze in July 1896, would have swept In
diana, Ohio and other large States, but the
sober second thought of the people in Sep
TENDER and October was against the
heresy.
Just now, the papers have made many
people believe that the court of inquiry
which Admiral Schley asked for, and the
makeup of which he approved, did him a
great injustice. They have been led to be-
lieve that there was a wide difference of
opinion between the majority of the court
and Admiral Dewey-that the former had
conspired to deprive Admiral Schley of the
credit due him. The Journal has already
shown how little difference there is be-
tween the opinions of the court with which
Admiral Dewey agreed and those in which
he dissented. 1t is we'll to repeat the facts
relative to the report of the court, to the
end that the sober second thought may be
formed. A correspondent of the New York
Times briefly recapitulates the differences
| of opinion as set forth in Admiral Dewey s
position as follows:
1. The body of the report states that
! Schley did not proceed with utmost dis
patch off Cienfuegos;" the postscript
states that he proceeded with all possible
dispatch having in view the Importance
of arriving off Cienfuegos, having as much
coal possible in the ships bunkers."
2 The body of the report states that he
! did not blockade Cienfuego5 as close as
| blockade of CienfuegOs was effective
B. The body of the report states, without
/ comment of any kind that 1.-The British
steamer Adula was permitted to go into
| Cienfuegos;" the postscript states that
! Commodore Schley, in permitting the
steamer Adula TO enter the port of Glen
fuegOs. expected to obtain information con-
corning the Spanish squadron from her
| when she came out"
4. The body of the report states that
Commodore Schley did not proceed with
all dispatch from Cienfuegos to Santiago
| de Cuba,' and also that The should not
| have delayed the squadron for the Eagle;
| from Cienfuegos to a point about twenty
two miles south of Santiago was made
! with as much dispatch as was possible
while keeping the squadron a unit"
8. In regard to the blockade of Santiago
the body of the report expresses no judg.
/ ment, except to state that the squadron die
not withdraw at night to a distance al
sea, but remained six or seven miles out
during the daytime. and probably some
what nearer at night; the postscript adds
that 1.-The blockade of Santiago was eff
fective"
6. The postscript states that SchIey wa.
in absolute command in the battle of San.
tiago, and sis entitled to the credit du,
to such commanding officer;' on this mat
ter the body of the report is silent.
The foregoing are the only points of diff
ference in opinion between Admiral Dewey
and the majority of the court To tn,
question relative to the conduct of Admira
Schley in the fight of July 3. the one really
affecting the honor of that officer tn,
whole court declared that it was all tina
the conduct Of officer should be. IL
view of these facts the sober seconC
thought cannot be far away