The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-08-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.

per will be putting up in front of
Acting Secretary Hackett, if he
is left in sole charge Of the Navy
Department much longer. His
head gets bigger every day and he
comes nearer thinking himself the
whole thing. He has made it
quite plain that he is anti-Schley.
In this he has only followed the
example of Secretary Long, the
difference being that Long has
more tact and courtesy than to as
sumo autocratic airs. 1t is under
derstood that so many complaints
about Hackett have been made to
Mr.. Mckinley that he has given
Secretary Long hint by wire that
it would be advisable to cut his
short and return to Wash
ington sometime before the as
sembling of the Schley Court Of
and that Mr.. Long will
resume charge of the Navy De-
partment next week.
The most important happenings
Of the week in the preparation
for the Schley inquiry are all con
nected with Rear Admiral How
ison, whose sitting asa member of
the court is anything but certain.
Rear Admiral Schley, through his
counsel, requested the Navy De-
partment to forward a copy of an
alleged interview with Howison in
which Schley was sneered at and
Sampson lauded to that officer and
request him to say whether it was
correctly reported or not. Caesar
Hackett made public his letter to
Schley denying therequest and de
Tending Howison, giving reasons
why he should not be asked about
that interview which is anything
but convincing. That is tomfool-
cry, of course. Schley has the
right to absolutely challenge How
ison, if he wishes to exercise it.
Capt. Parker, who is assisting
counsel in preparing the
case, has an affidavit from the re-
porter who interviewed Rear Ad-
miral Howison, declaring that the
interview was absolutely correct
rs published and expressing his
willingness to testify before the
Court of Inquiry if his evidence
was considered necessary. Should
Howison acknowledge the accu-
racy of the interview he would
thereby disqualify himself for sit
ting on the court, no matter how
anxious Caesar Hackett and the
anti Schley naval clique might be
to keep him on the court Should
he deny the published interview
he will be confronted by the re-
porter. Admiral Schley will not
believe that Howison used the
language in that interview until
he either acknowledges 1t or refuses
TO deny 1t. Being open and above
board In his own likes and dislikes,
be can not understand how a
brother officer can be otherwise.
Schley spends good portion of
every day working and consulting
with his lawyers in the prepare
tion of his case. He smilingly
declines all invitations to talk
about it for publication, and says,
''Wait for the Court"
The joint committee represent
ing the American Antitrust
League and the Knights of La
Dor came out ahead in its first
round with Attorney General
Knox. The committee asked Mr..
Knox to furnish any information
in his possession concerning the
formation ofthe steeltrust. He re-
piled denying that he had anything
to do with its formation; admit
ting that he was legal counsel fog
The Carnegie Steel Company for
some time previous to the froma-
tion of the trust, and asserting
that the duty and object of the
Department of Justice was TO en-
force the Federal statutes. The
committee replied to his statement,
In which it pointed out the evasive
nature of his denial, and issued the
following challenge to him: "WiIl
Attorney General Knox offer q
substantial reward for the produc-