Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-11-01
Democratic State Ticket.
Legislative Ticket.
OUR NAVY.

The Sampson Schley controversy IS
about finished, and if there was eyer
a fiasco it was Que. The mallgnlty
with which Schley was attacked mas
few parallels, and none we think and
hope in American history. line Dry
fms case in France was the nearest ap-
proach to it we have seen, and that,
as well as the Schley attack, bear
strongly the same ear marks, IN so far
as maliciousness entered into 1t,
though possibly the mendacity in the
Erench case were in excess of that in
our case. There were certain officers.
however, who testified who would nave
sent Schley to DEVILS Island or any
other point if there had been chance
for them to have done SO by their state
ments. 1t is to the credit OF the
American people that they generally
know lie when they hear it, espec-
ialIy when it has the earmarks on 1t,
as some of the lies in this case did, and
they stand, may it be said to their
credit, ready with hammer and nails
to nail lie when it is proven.
Once upon time two boys ran a
rabbit into hole, so goes the story,
and one left the other at the hole to
watch while be went away to get some
fire with which to smoke the rabbit
out. When be returned he found the
bow at the hole had the rabbit safely in
his possession, whereupon the boy who
went tor the fire, being the larger. took
the rabbit from the boy who had &C.
tually caught it, and roundly abused
the little fellow who had really cap
tured it while the big boy was away.
The big fellow got the rabbit just as
Sampson has gotten ali the prize money
in this case, but the big boy has never
vet been able to make anybody believe
he caught the rabbit, although he told
nice stories to that effect, it is said,
how be had instructed the little fel-
low to grab the..rabbit In the event 1t
should undertake to come out in his
absence, how he must hold it by the
hind legs and beat its head over a
stump. Whenever the larger boy sue
Gee DIS in convincing the public that he
and not the little fellow caught that
rabbit, then will Sampson, and Crown
inshield, and Hackett convince the
.blic that Sampson and not Schley
ught the naval battle of Santiago.
This controversy, however, has op,
ened the eyes of the public in regard
to our navy, and shows the people
whittier that navy is drifting.
A young man who has pull, not
always merit, succeeds in obtaining
an appointment to the Naval Acade
nv. He there, at public expense, oh
tains an education which at any first
class school might have cost him
$4,000, because he is fed, clothed ant
paid, we believe, $50 per month from
the very day he enters the Academy
Whether he gets any other thing We
are not apprised. No sooner does hi
set foot on the sacred soil at Annapolis
than be Immediately swells like bull
frog out of his natural shape into 6
somebody Of great Importance. HI
goes at once above the common herd
and ceases to associate with his for
mer friends in many cases. The nava
set is a peculiar set, just as the 400. O
we may say just as royalty is peculiar
for these young men become prince
in their country. The province of
prince in monarchical governments i
to do nothing, order common humani
ty around as they see fit, boot it abou
if necessary, and live out of the publ
treasury. This is the naval officer t
dot. He is put on the public pay 70
and never gets off. He draws a salar
whether working or laying around, ia
in advance of what a common ma
can earn. When be reaches certai
age he is retired on pay and this last
his natural life, at his death his widO'
gets it, then his children, and then th
Lord only knows who. but somebod
continues to sign vouchers for pei
sion. Then his son, if he has left on
stands in the way of any meritOrioU
young man of the people who Nigh
have become an ornament to the navy
ever getting an appointment to tt
Naval Academy, until every day W
are more and more convinced that til
navy is soon to be enjoyed by a Sc
Just as has become the fashion in Ems
land, and which must always weake
the efficiency Of, and more or less CO
rupt the service. The present cond
ton of the navy since this Sampson
Schley controversy is not what BIZ
been supposed, it is on lower plar
than the people thought, but it will
lower still unless there is a change fl
the better somewhere.
Winfnr EvnunSinn pcfoe