The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-04
THE SENATE'S FAULT
WHY HoBSoN, CLARK AND OTHERS
GO UNREWARDED.
REPUBLICS ARE UNGRATEFUL.
SECRETARY LONGS LETTER TO
SENATOR MORGAN.

The Delay Not With the Executive
branch - Repeated RecOmmcnda-
tiOns Have Been Made to the Sem
ate-An Actual Injustice Done to
tiaSO FIeet-CaDt. Clark Numbers
Worse on Than if There Had Been
no Wnr-Enlisted Men Have Re
ceived Neither Thanks, Medal nor
Reward and Are HumiIiated on
the Deck of Every Warship.
Washington, Feb. 3.-Secretary Long
has addressed the following letter to Sen
ator Morgan:
Dear Senator: I have your letter with
regard to Lieut.. Hobson, Capt. Clark and
others, and to the failure of the govern
ment to recognize their services. l need
not say to you that no one feels this
more keenly than myself, or has done
more to endeavor to secure justice for
the men who conducted and consummat-
ed the Santiago nava! campaign. VIII
you let me say that the delay is not
with the executive branch of the govern
ment, so much as with Congress. l do
not say-this to in any way shift the re-
sponsibility, but in the hope that the CO.
operation of Congress may yet be Sc
cured in this respect. With the interest
which you and other members of the
legislative branch feel in the case, do
not despair
ut is more than two years now since
q praCfdnnf in, ,fv1af for
promotions, and these nominations have
never been acted upon by the Senate. At
e1 ch session of Congress 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 oil
the force possible, but it attracts no at
tention. The President has asked for the
creation of the grade of vice admiral
which would perhaps lead to a solution
of the matter.
Il feel keenly the lack of recognition
to Hobson, whose feat is famous the world
over. 1 have repeatedly talked about HIM
with the President, who, as you know
feels the most cordial interest in behalf
of all these men. He cannot separate
Hobsons case from the rest, nor can /
advise him TO do so. 1t would be an un-
just discrimination against Capt. Clark
to whom you refer. and who numbers
worse off now than if there had
been no war; it would be an injustice
to the commander-in-chief, who
planned and consummated the whole
campaign and who had a greater respon-
sibility upon him for a longer time than
any officer on the Atlantic; it would dis
against 10 taa
have yet had neither thanks nor medal
nor any recognition, and are humilia ted
on the deck of every warship on which
their shipmates who served in the Ash
attic squadron display their medals. and
the Santiago men have none. l feel al
most like invoking the help of yourself
and every other senator and representa-
tive to what seems to be the simplest JUS
tice.
Not content with what has hitherto
been done, it was only a few days ago
that l wrote a letter to Senator Hale,
chairman of the Naval Committee of the
Senate, a copy of which l enclose, ask
ing him if he would not, a last re-
sort, have the Naval Committee, or sub
committee of it, take up the matter and
consider and report upon the deserts of
these officers.
Yesterday 1 wrote another letter to
L
recting recommendations which / made
to him in my annual report of 1899, that
he make the same recommendation to
Congress in case of the Santiago squad
ron which was made in the case of the
Asiatic squadron, viz: that the thanks of
Congress be rendered to the commander
in-chief and be extended through him to
the officers and men.
81 think you will cordially acknowledge
that the President by his speedy nomina-
ton for promotion. has been prompt and
that this department has left no stone un-
turned, TO do justice in the matter, and
that II is now for Congress, of which you
are so distinguished a member to act.
Trusting that we may all cooperate and
at last secure to these officers and men
an expression of the country's apprecia-
ton of their services, l am, very truly
yours, John d. Long,"