The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-20
sEcRETARY LONGS DILEMMA.

SECRETARY LONGS DILEMMA.
The protest of Admiral Schley
against the finding Of the court Of in
quiry is a strong one. The Secretary
of the Navy. Mr.. Long, says he will
not hear oral argument in support Of
It, but viii receive a written argument
The position which Mr.. Long occu-
pies is a delicate one. II he approves
the finding of the court he viii admit
practically that he did not discharge
his duty with the conscientious exact
ness that is expected of a man occu-
rying his high position, and if he dis
approves it he will offend the powerful
navy clique that seems determined that
Admiral Schley shall not have share
of the glory of the Santiago victory.
1t will be recalled that there was no
thought of finding fault with Admiral
Schley until after the American people
recognized him as the real hero of the
naval fight at Santiago. The things
which are the basis of nearly all of
the charges brought against him &C.
Cured nearly a month before the San
tiago fight, and yet they were not con-
sidered to be of enough Importance it,
in fact. they were noticed at all, 20
justify Admiral Sampson in removing
him from his command or
the Navy Department in reprimanding
Him. 1t will be admitted no doubt that
if Admiral Sampson had been in actual
command, when the Santiago naval en-
gagement was fought, there woul
never have been any charges against
him.
That Mr.. Long did not think the
charges against Admiral Schley rested
on a solid foundation is evident from
his treatment of the admiral. After the
charges were made by the Navy De-
partment he recommended him for a
special reward, and he recommended
him for promotion to the grade of Rear
Admiral The Senate confirmed that
recommendation and Mr.. Long appoint
ed him to the highest command of his
rank afloat.
It is clear therefore that Mr. Long
either considered the charges of no i'm
portance or he condoned whatever Of
lenses he thought Admiral Schley had
committed. That being the case, he is
placed in a delimma by Admir- al
Schley's protest. If he approves the
finding he will virtually condemn him
SELF the Senate and the President for
promoting Admiral Schley before hav-
ing the charges investigated, and if he
does not approve it he viii practically
condemn the naval officers who so per-
sistently kept the charges before the
public
But whether the finding is approved
or not Admiral Schley stands all right
before the country. He would never
have asked for a court of inquiry if
Maclay, in his history, had not charged
him with cowarSly conduct. The entire
court agreed there was no ground for
such a charge. The court said that the
| admir- al was conspicuously courageous
in the Santiago naval fight. He could
not ask for a more satisfactory vindi-
cation on that point than the court
| gave him.
After all, the gist of the whole mat.
! ter is whether Admiral Sampson OF
| Admiral Schley is entitled to credit fol
the Santiago victory On that point the
court of inquiry said nothing, but Ad-
miral Dewey the president of the
court, in an independent opinion, gave
| the credit to Admiral Schley, and the
people approve that opinion Admiral
Schley's fame, therefore, whatever ae-
ton Secretary Long may take in re-
| spect to the finding of the court OF
| inquiry, is assured