The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-27
SCHLEY CASE IN A NUTSHELL
Detroit Free Press.)

naval victory to which he was not even q
passive spectator. One question suggested
another The favortism in the navy de-
partment was disclosed, and given the
worst possible Interpretation. Schley's
friends became INDECENT, and began to
make reprisals on Sampson, SIMPSONS
supporters in turn began to assail Schlev.
and finally manifestations of a well-de-
veloped bureaucratic conspiracy to ruin
him became apparent. 1t is not likely
that Sampson had anything to do with
it: but there was never time that he
could not have scotched the scandal by
few frank. manly words. Finally came
the contemplate Maclay history" of the
battle of Santiago. the proofs of which
had been read by Sampson, and the
Schley court of inquiry. officially inde-
Cisive in its findings. followed. ~
In way. however, it Is not indecisive.
George Dewey. in large measure. was
the court. and George Dewe.'s verdict
in its broadcast sense is bound TO be the
verdict of the American people. His
conclusions in general are conclusions
most of them reached after reading the
testimony. He is known to be outside
all naval cliques. He is himself fight
ing man. who has maintained from the
bridge the best traditions of the Ameri-
escutcheon. He has demonstrated be-
yond doubt that he has the judicial tenn
permanent in high degree; that he is
as brave morally as he is physically;
that he is ready at all times to do his
duty in the light God has given him to
do it, and that he is a man whose con-
ceptions of that duty are not likely to
be .storted by personal prejudices. When
he finds no serious fault with the con-
duct of Admiral Schley and declares that
Schley is entitled to the credit for the
total destruction of the Spanish ships. he
speaks to the American people as one
having authority.
had the majority ana minority opin-
ions been reversed, all the Benhams and
Ramsays in the navy-admirab BILE gentle
men as they no doubt are-cou!d have
saved Schley from popular condemna-
ton. The fact that George Dewey. after
hearing the evidence, had declared that
Schley failed to perform his duty, would
have rolled back the sentiment that a
majority of the people had already
formed Had the majority report been
strongly prejudiced in favor of Schley
as it is against him. the dissenting opin-
ion of Dewey would have been final
with most men, who are always ready to-
brush fly-sp technicaiities aside and
deal with the larger facts of humans
achievement. The hair-spltting of all
the sea-lawyers in the world would not
stand against the outspoken opinion of
one of the fighting breed. measuring the
achievements of another of his kind.
Technically schley. by the grace of
the majority decision. comes out of the
inquiry disgraced. Actually he comes
out of it vindicated and more than VIM
dictated. While the court is unanimous
in finding against him on several of the
minor points in the precept, on the
broad general questions, which alone
appeal to men of blood and brains, the
verdict of George Dewey is the verdict
of the American people. Dealing with
trivial techncalities, court of inquiry
might find much amss in the conduct
of George Dewey at Manila bay If an in
yestigation We're held. From Joshua to
DeWet there has never been great
captain who did not make blunders;
but intelligent men do not inspect great
achievements through a microscope.
board Of navigation court of inquiry
would unquest;onably have ordered the
Duke of Wellington court nlartsa!ei for
having failed to follow up the route of
Napoleon at Waterloo.