Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-08-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our regular Correspondent

(FrOm our Regular correspondent
Washington, Aug. 19.-Rear Adj
miral Schley no longer has the slightest
doubt that the whole official power of
the Navy Department is being used
against him. His letter protesting
against Hackett's action in constru-
ing his request that a copy OF an OBJ
iectionable newspaper interview with
Rear Admiral HowisOn be forwarded
to that officer, in order to give him an
opportunity to say whether he was
correctly reported, into challenge of
Howison's right to sit on the Court,
was manly and straight forward and
must have made Hackett feel as small
as most unprejudiced persons think he
| is. bpt if did not make him change his
ruling. There seems very little doubt
that Howlson did use the language
Quoted-the reporter swears that he
did-and that he was selected as a
member of the Court of Inquiry by
Hackett with the full knowledge that
| he was Sampson partisan. That is
WHY Hackett did not wish to ask him
abont the interview. These men are
PLAYING with fire and are smirching
| the good name of the American NAVY
as a whole as it was never smirched
before, and all for the dastardly and
cowardly purpose of running as brave
a man as ever commanded a ship. But
there is day of reckoning ahead. 1t
will take place before the Court of In
curry, if there be fair play
and if the officers who sit
on that Court have the moral courage
to do their duty, regardless of the
| wishes of the clique that is now run
ming the Navy Department.; If not, the
fight will be transferred to the halls of
| Congress, and if the power of the ad-
ministration over a partisan majority
be strong enough to prevent justice
| there. the case will be then taken be-
fore the highest court we know in tn is
countryside people-and then it will
be settled right.
In inside upper republican circles
the tip has been passed around within
the last day or two that Boss Platt had
changed his mind about backing Gov.
Odell for the republican presidential
nomination. The only reason given is
| that there has been another ''misun
Outstanding" between the two men
about local politics. 1t is not stated
whether Platt will throw the influence
of the state republican machine to an
| other New Y ork candidate or to some
man outside the state, but there seems
to be thorough understanding among
the republicans that the state machine
| will be against Roosevelt and that Platt
will not entertain any proposition for
a deal to give Roosevelt the machine
support. He heartily dislikes Roose
welt, but that of itself would not pre-
vent his entering into political dea
] with him. 1t is because of the flat
failure of attempts to utilize Roosevelt I
recent western trip to start boom fol
him. that the Republican politicians
are certain that Platt will not dickel
with him. But, most interesting O
all, is the hint that Governor Odell viii
fight Platt for the control of the New
Y ork republican machine. Such fight
would be as welcome to the democrat;
of the state and of the country as wal
the old time Stalwart and anti-stalwar
fight. in which Platt played mino
part under the leadership of Roscoe
Conklng.
This seems to be bad year for Per
nv Heath's friends, whether they bt
manipulating the funds of NatlOna
Banks or utilizing federal office to ge
rich quick. Another man that b
placed on Uncle SANS pay roll is il
trouble for crookedness. This time |
is W. F. Hoey, who like Nicely hail
: from Muncie, Ind and who owes hi
appointment to be collector of custom
! at Norgales, Ariz to Perry Heath
, pull with the administration, who ha
been arrested for carrying on whole
sale business for smuggling Chiname
| to the l.. s. from Mexico at from $50
i. to $500 ahead. The joke in this cas-
is that Perry Heath specially recon-
mended Hoey to Secretary Gage as
man whose sterling integrity especial
f fitted him to take a position frOr
. which another man had just been re
, moved, about year and half age
1 on account of irregularities in his Of
fee. According to reports on file i
5 the Treasury Department Hoey hardl
waited until he got warm IN the of1ic
before he started his scheme to &c
rich by smuggling Cinnamon acros
the border from Mexico. 1t remain
r. to be seen whether Perry Heath rs pu
? can do as much for this crook as it ha
done for N eely who robbed the Cuba
q postal funds and is still untried.