The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-02-15
CONGRESS
SLOW.
No Recognition
For Heroes of
War.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.-The Sampson
Schley controversy was precipitatej IN
the Senate by Mr.. Chandler, who read
and criticized the late letter of Secretary
Long to Senator Morgan. explaining why
the officers and men of the Santiago
fleet had received no reward for their
good work Mr.. Hale explained what mad
been done for the Naval officers, and
referred to the names sent In during the
last Congress. He said that, owing 10
the Simpsons chley controversy, they
could not be acted upon before the 3es-
sion of Congress expired, but he ex-
pected the nominations would be sent in
again during this Congress, but no action
had been taken by the Executive.
Mr.. Pettigrew declared the whole trou-
bic arose because the President and
Secretary desired to promote Sampson,
who. he said, was not in the battle, over
Schley, who did the lighting The Ad-
ministration, he said, seemed to promote
men who did not fight during the Span
ish war
Mr.. Teller criticised the publication of
the letter, and said the Secretary knew
how to communicate with the Senate il
he desired to do so.
Mr.. Morgan said he did not know how
the letter got into print. This closed the
incident. The letter was as follows:
Dear Senator: l have your letter with
regard to Lieutenant Hobson, Captain
Clark and others, and to the failure of
the Government to recognize their SER
vices. | need not say to you that no one
feels this more keenly than myself, or
has done more to endeavor to secure JUS
tice for the men who conducted and
consummated the Santiago naval cam
paign. VIII you let me say that the de
lay is not with the executive branch of
the Government so much as with Con-
gress. ! do not say this to in any way
1t tf.tlft Inf.
that the cooperation of Congress may
he secured in this respect. With the in
tereSt which you and other members OF
the legislative branch feel in the case, 1
do not despair.
1T is more tnan two years now since
the President sent in nominations for
promotion, and these nominations have
never been acted upon by the Senate. At
each session of Congress l have prepared
and submitted bills asking for rewards
for these officers. No action has been
taken upon them. In each of my annual
reports l have urged the matter with all
the force possible, but it attracts no at
tention. The President has asked for
the creation of the grade of Vice Admir-
al, which would perhaps lead to a solu-
ton of the matter.
II feel keenly the lack of any recog-
milton to Hohson, whose feat is famous
the world over. | have repeatedly talked
know, feels the most cordial interest in
behalf of all the men. He cannot separ-
ate Hobson's case from the rest, nor can
1 advise him to do SO. 1t would be an
unjust discrimination against Captain
Clark, to whom you refer and who is two
numbers worse off now than If there had
been no war. 1t would be an injustice
to the commander in chief. who planned
and contaminated the whole campaign,
and who had greater responsibility up
on him for a longer time than any Off
Ger on the Atlantic. 1t would discrimi-
nate against the enlisted men, who have
yet had neither thanks nor medals, nor
any recognition and are Inundated on the
deck of every warship on which their ship
mates who served in the Asiatic Squad
ron display their medals and the Santiago
men have none. feel almost like invok-
ing the help of yourself and every other
Senator and Representative as to what
seems the simplest justice