The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-13
CHANDLER N EVANS.
Their Controversy Recall n Similar
Case i'm which Hazen Figured.
Washington Letter in New York Post.

Washington Letter in New York Post.
The position taken by Secretary Long on
the Evans-Chandler controversy, which is
practically that. after a secretary of the
navy has gone out Of office. he becomes an
historical parsonage and his administration
a proper subject for critical review by even
a naval officer. is doubtless limited to COM
ments passed by an officer in his capacity
as a citizen rather than a public servant.
The alleged offense of Rear Admiral Evans
was contained in a book which did not pur-
port. 10 be so much as a formal history,
much less an official report. II was a gos-
sipy, entertaining, popular story OF his own
life. MI. Chandler bore no other relation
10 it than as one figure in a single incident
There may be something lbelous in the
suggestion that he had, as long ago as 1885,
the traits of an insect; but, on the other
hand. Evans might still prove his entire
freedom from malice by issuing an APP
pendiX saying that the ex-secretary had
outgrown these characteristics during the
intervening sixteen years.
Had Evans used such language. or, in
deed. INDUCED in any very serious refiec-
tionS upon his former chief in an official doc
ument, he would probably have laid himself
open to discipline. An episode of the early
days Of the first Cleveland administration,
touching such a point. is fresh in the
writer's memory. The late Gen. ". Il.
Hazen, chief signal officer OF the army. feel
ing deeply affronted at some treatment he
had received at the hands OF Robert Lincoln,
secretary y IL Val ulQt Il "A a AADls
made use Of his next annual re~port-issued
soon after Judge Endicott had become sec
rotary of war.to avenge himself. He
called Mr.. Lincoln no harsh names, but he
said one or two things which, read by any
body who had kept track of the matter 10
which they related. were very biting and
severe. In the haste of putting the report
through the department mill, the new Sec
rotary did not happen to notice these re-
Elections on his predecessor. But after the
last proof had been sent back to the printer
marked 30. k" a member OF the clerical
staff ventured to approach Mr.. Endicott
with a suggestion that the general had
taken a liberty rather dangerous to disci-
pline. The manuscript was accordingly taken
from the files and examined, and an order
at once dispatched to the printing office to
cease work on the report till il could be re-
vised. The warning came just too late; the
printer had finished the whole edition and
sent it to HaZen's headquarters. There 1t
was captured by a messenger from the sec
retary-all except one copy. which had been
taken out of the package before the ennis
saries reached their destination-and re-
turned TO the printer with instructions to
tear out the leaf containing the structures
on Mr.. Lincoln, reprint 1t with the offending
passage omitted, and paste the amended
leaf in place. The result is that all pamphlet
copies of the report of the chief signal Of
ficer for 1885. on file at libraries or in col
lections. will be foun to have one page
nearly blank in the midst of the consecutive
reprimand from the secretary-who was
very indignant-instead of getting into
worse trouble, as he would have got If his
report had gone into general circulation
with the fatal page intact.
The one copy of the whole pamphlet saved
from the wreck let the secret out, however.
1t had been given to a newspaper corre-
spondent who recognized the value of it's
only striking passage and made use of this
in his dispatches. That completed the his
torical record.