The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-03-02
HOUSTON SATURDAY MORNING MARCH ?, 1901
TEN PAGES TODAY.
THE SOCIAL EQUALITY" LINE IN THE NAVY.

Rear Admiral William 7. Sampson must be either
ga snob of the snobs' else is singulary lacking
IN both good Judgment and good sense His latest of
fetal conduct of note in which he takes the position
that only those who have had superior social advan
tages" should be made commissioned officers of tho
navy Is calculated to put him still further from the re-
gard of the public the coveted confirmation as vice
admiral.
1t is proposed to give the secretary of the navy au
thorty to appoint few warrant or noncommissioned
officers in the navy correspond say to sergeants
IN the army, to commission grade. such as ensgns
and up to leutenans. brave and capable gunner or
warrant officer, named Morgan who was on Sampson's
flagship at Santiago in view OF this possible action by
the secretary Of the navy addressed the following let
ter to the rear ADMIRAL
Dear Sir-The bill whereby six gunners are TO he
commissioned ensgns emp write you trusting YOU
As served on the flagship New YorE during your com,
mand OF the fleet will know whether my abilities what
ing the position of ensg would say that never use
r. in your estimation, am worthy OF this postion T
shoud be most grateful to you ii will
Without replying to Mr.. Morgan Sampson referred
the letter to the navy department with the following
Endorsements:
s MT Morgan has good professional ability He also has
geDteman hearing If he we're to he commissioned ,s an
ensign ne would probably compare fayoraby both PROBES
sonay and IN personal conduct and bearing with other Off
GERS OF mat grade as lar his technical education would
1t earnestly to he hoped however that the secretary
OF me navy will not nd necessary take advantage OF the
certain number OF officers 10 the Grade Of engSs
While it is true that these selected from large
them perhaps the professional equals Of their officers as
lar as he education stands Is also that
social advantages that are requisite for commissioned
Ger
Is submitted that in time Of the navys function
eSnsis's 70 certain extent OF representing the country
should be Of least refinement While there are per
nPs eea rev among the warrant officers who could full
jority of them could not
Once they commissioned they will have the same So
cial standing other officers no distinction properly
could be made in extending general invitations
The chief function of the naval officer in time of
peace is to shine In ball rooms and become peted
darling of Society To recruit men from 'the
masses and put them into Society" before they have
gone through the hazng and other refining influences
of the Naval academy Sampson thinks would be n
dangerously vulgar" proceeding They might have
all the technical knowledge necessary all the bravery
the manhood, the devotion to their profession and to
their country required; they may have stood gal.
lantly in the storm OF battle and performed deeds
worthy of their country's recognton-but thew como
from the common people" and have never been
anointed In the temple of naval responsibility at An.
napolis For that misfortune the snobs would feel con
taminated should these of the people by any pro-
cess OF promoon happen to touch the coatais of the
Annapolis GRADUATED
II this rule had been followed in the army WHARF
would Chance be today who is representing us abroad
or Miles. who Is at the head of the army?
The naval officers can not hope to maintain an az
elusive privileged class in the navy based on the aoe
dent OF an appointment to the Naval academy II ls
ca nespotc snobbishness in that arm of the service
and The inability to win promotion on merit that have
kept so many hundreds of sefrespecting young Amer
cans from enistng in the navy and that has caused 50
many hundreds OF assertions almost annually
Congress should rebuke Sampson and his seIf.con
stituted aristocratc class in more WAYS than ono
should turn down his own promotion and II should
make 1t obligatory upon the department to appoint
certain number OF worthy warrant officers every wear
to higher grades. The poor boy should have chance
in all the branches Of the public service--t doesnf
take military or naval academy make either hero
gentleman.