The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-22

Jus LIVE
The administration will not be sue
cessful in it's effort to put an end to
the Sampson -Schley controversy, how
ever determined TO accomplish that OBJ
/ ject it may be, by censuring officials
for expressing opinions about it. The
controversy will not come to an end
until justice has been done Schley. The
people deplore the controversy as much
as the administration, but they are
not willing to remain quiet while in
justice, is being done brave and gen.
erous officer of the navy. They are not
willing that he shall be punished be-
cause they held him up as the hero of
a great naval battle.
1t will be recalled that Schley had no
intention of asking for a court of in
quiry until he was goaded into doing it.
He was satisfied with the verdict of the
people and the promotion which had
been given him by the President and
the Senate. But his enemies in the
Navy Department were not satisfied.
They were bitter towards him because
the people lauded him as the hero of
the Santiago victory, and so the
Maclay history was written-written
by an employe of the Navy Depart
ment In that history Schley was called
a coward. He was goaded into asking
for an investigation.
He is not to blame for the Sampson
Schley controversy. The persons who
goaded him into calling for an investi-
cation are responsible for it. They
thought that with the means at their
command they could reverse the judg-
ment of the people-that they could
show Schley was not the hero the peo-
pie thought he was-but Dewey
thwarted them. The hero Of Manila
kept the hero of Santiago on the
pedestal al-on which the peonle had
placed him.
We are not prepared to say that the
Secretary of the Navy did not exercise
his best judgment when he approved
the finding of a majority of the court
of inquiry and criticised the president
of the court for expressing an opinion
on matter not before the court. but
we do think the purpose he had in view
was to put an end to the controversy
as quickly as possible. He thought he
took the course best calculated to ac-
complish that object Developments
will likely show he was mistaken. Now
that Schley has been forced by his en-
emies into defending himself the people
will insist upon justice being done.
They will have justice for Schley be-
fore they will consent that the contro-
versy shall be closed.
Gen. Miles was, of course, wrong in
expressing the opinion he did, while
the Schley case was still pending, but
he only said what was in the minds of
the people. The censure visited upon
him was severe, but it will not lessen
the esteem in which he is held, be-
cause his offense was committed in
Voicing the sentiments of the people.
We do not know whether or not there
will be an appeal in the Schley case
from the Secretary of the Navy to
the President. but if there is, the Pres
ident will be wise if he acts with more
elaboration than Secretary Long did
1t will be a mistake TO try to put an
end to the Sampson-Schley controversy
by hastily approving what has been
done, with the hope that the contro-
versy will cease to interest the public
and be forgotten. Congress is only
waiting to see the entire outcome of
the court of inquiry proceedings. 1t
will take hand III the matter IL JUS
tice is not done, and then the contro-
versy will assume phase more re-
grettable than any that preceded it.
Let justice be done first. Then it will
be an easy matter to stop the contro-
versy.