Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1901-12-27
Punishment for Dewey Miles and
Maclav.

The officer of the most exalted rank /
the navy and the officer Of highest rank Il
the army have fallen upon evil days AM
incurred the displeasure of their bureau
chleis. Admiral Dewey, an innocent, un
sophisticated sailor, rashly expressed tn,
| opinion as president OF the Naval Court o
Inquiry that the officer in command a
Santiago was the man on the spot wher
the battle was raging, and not the absentee
at Slboney, who was far beyond the range
OF the biggest guns in the Spanish feet
That seasoned veteran of many wars, Hon
John ID. Long, Secretary of the Navy, who
knows more about sea fighting than dozen
Vlctors of Manila bay, has "rebuked" the
admiral OF the navy in his best Bostonian
style. Dewey, 1t appears, is ignorant of the
properties. 1t was wholly irrelevant for
MIN to say that man could not be in two
places at the same time, and therefore as
sampson was at Siboney he could not pos.
sloly he at Santiago. People not in the SER
vice OF the United States Navy may enter
tain such absurd notions, but the admiral
oil the navy must subscribe without muir.
muir to Navy Department logic. So Dewey
is "rebuked" in Mr.. Longs cultured style
Really, this is more terrible than fighting
Spaniards.
While Mr.. Long was expressing his dis
sent from the views of the admiral of the
navy, Secretary of War Root was roasting"
Lieut. General Miles in the most approved
fashion. The acknowledgement of the army
was adjudged guilty by Secretary Root "ol
violation of the Articles of War and the
rules of official propriety." General Miles
II appears, expressed approval of Admiral
Deweys opinion, and intimated that 1t re.
Elected the sentiment of the country. "You
had no business in the controversy" writes
Mr.. Root to the General in his severest and
most impressive style. "You had no right
holding the Office which you did, to express
any opinion You are justly liable
To censure, which now express" So the
general of the army is ruthlessly brushed
aside and made TO know his place by his
official superior. According to the stern
and infexlble etiquette of the War Depart
ment, lieutenant generals, like the boys In
model households, must be seen and not
heard. If General Miles has any opinion
on subjects OF national interest he must not
dare to utter them aloud or in the presence
OF anyone except himself. The Articles OF
War forbid him TO take any one into his
confidence. So Miles is reprimanded and
must hide his head in shame.
Even the pigmy in this celebrated case
does not escape the censure of irate officials.
The man who wrote history in which he
denounced gallant officer as a Coward
and "caititf" is removed from his place as
special laboreT" in the New York Navy
Yard. The rebuke comes rather late, IL is
true. Those who know how sensitive the
Navy Department is when officers of the
naval service are assailed have wondered
how this sensitveness could be reconciled
with the retention in the Government ser
wee oi man who had applied most often
slve epithets to an honored officer OF the
navy. In this case at least the "rebuke"
should have been administered as soon as
the Oiiense was committed Prompt action
would have been more in keeping with the
departments sensitive regard for the honor
OF the officers holding commissions in the
navy than the belated censure which is now
visited upon the Especial laborer" historian
of the United States Navy.
Having administered reprimands, rebukes
and censure all round, the next thing 10 be
done is to squelch the 76,000,000 persons,
more or less, who are in hearty agreement
with Admiral Dewey and General Miles
These people ought not to be allowed to 90
at large and criticise the verdict OF the Court
Of Inquiry. Such criticism Is subversive OF
uIStlpllHc' IL Is uHueUlhOIC LIbJ II JU6 TANK
ing officer of the navy and the ranking
officer Of the army are not competent to
pass Judgment upon military and naval
questions, the untutored masses have no
business airing opinions which reflect upon
the Court of Inquiry and the Navy Depart.
ment, Having muzzled Miles and ordered
Dewey TO be dumb about the battle of San
tiago the next thing is TO close the mouths
Of the ignorant and unthinking millions
who refuse 10 be convinced by Admirals
Benham and Ramsay. 1t is stupendous
undertaking to make 76,0O0,000 people keep
quiet, but possibly the miracle might be
wrought il "stingIng reprimand" or "crush-
ing rebuke" could be administered. Let the
powers that be command the people, In the
words Of the plantation darky, to Ego way
back and sit down" Perhaps the people, as
one man, would go Immediately into retire
ment and brood in silence over the wrong
done TO Admiral Schley. Here is chance for
our official "rebukers" and censurers" to
quel the nation with choice collection Of
phrases. Let the injunction issue. The peo-
NI.ta