The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-27
xo pRoMoTIov ron sAILoas.

No PROMOTION FOR SAILORS.
NIne-tenths of the American people will
not agree with the position taken by Rear
Admiral Sampson in respect 10 warrant
officers. The facts as published are these;
Charles Morgan, gunner of the navy
at the torpedo station at Newport, r. J.,
wrote to Rear Admiral Sampson. asking
TO be recommended Tor the position OF
ensign in the navy. It seems that law
recently passed permits the Secretary OF
the Navy to appoint a certain number Of
warrant officers TO be ensigns.
Admiral Sampson wrote to the Secre-
tary Of the Navy. saying that Mr.. MI
gan was a very worthy man and compe-
tent warrant officer. but hoped that the
Secretary would not appoint any warrant
officer to be an ensign. for the reason that
an ensign is commissioned officer, and,
as a rule, warrant officers are lacking in
social accomplishments. They are takel
from class OF men who have not had
the social advantages that are requisite
for a commissioned officer. In the course
Of his letter the Admiral says:
1T is submitted that IN time of peace
the navy's function consists. to certain
extent. OF representing the country
abroad, and it is important that the
navy's representatives should be men OF
al least refinement. While there are per-
haps a certain few am7ng the warrant
officers who could fulfill this requirement,
I am OF the opinion that the vast ma
jority of them could not.
"Once they are commissioned they will
have the same social standing as other
officers. and no distinction properly could
be made in extending general invitations.
The consequences that would arise from
their acceptance might not rebound to the
credit of the navy or the country which
the navy represents"
1t seems to Us that in writing this let
ter Admiral Sampson must have been in
fluenced by the feeling of exclusiveness
that prevails among navy officers, and
not by his judgment. II it were true that
young Americans did not quickly pick
UP social accomplishments there might
be some ground for the excuse the Ad-
miral offers for Withholding his recon-
mendation, but, as a matter of fact,
Americans who come up from the ranks
make just as good an appearance in So
ciety as men who have had the advant-
age Of the best training in social mat
tiers.
In the army the men in the ranks can
aspire to any position. If we are not
mistaken, Gen. Chaffee. who commands
the American forces i'm China, enlisted as
a private, and before his enlistment he
had no social advantages. No one will
assert that he is not qualified to repre-
sent the country abroad with credit. In
deed, there are many officers in the army
who have come up from the ranks, and
it is a safe statement that there is not
one of them but has all the qualifica-
items necessary to make a creditable APP
pearance in any place in any part of the
world. In civil life there are thousands
of men and women moving in the best
social circles in their respective localities
who had no social advantages in their
earlier years. There are dozens of men
in Congress who, a few years before they
attained political prominence. would have
cut a sorry figure at an important social
function.
Young Americans are quick to learn.
and neither Admiral Sampson nor any
other graduate of the Annapolis Academy
would have occasion to feel ashamed of
a commissioned officer. raised from the
rank of warrant officer, in any company
in this country or any other. Men CT
sterling qualities, of ability and courage,
are wanted in the navy. and IL makes II ,
difference whether they are found amcng
the sons of toilers or the sons of the rich.
The people who support the navy are
not so anxious that naval officers shall
make a good appearance in social life. in
other countries, in time of peace, as they
are that they shall win victories in time
of war. A naval officers uniform should
not be denied to a man who may be-
come President, and thus commander of
the