The times., 1901-06-25
Circulation Statement
The Sampson Medal.

If seems now to have been dehnlteIy
settled that the Santiago medal, as ap-
proved by Secretary Long, Is to pear
tba likeness of Admiral Sampson upon
its face. and that of a typical man be
,ind the gun" on the reverse side.
This is simply the elimination of an
official outrage which certainly never
was paralleled in the United Slates'
and probably never was anywhere else
on earth. In effect, the Secretary OIL
the United States Navy proclaims to
the world that the real hero Of the
great naval battle of Santiago is man
who took no part in the engagement
who never directed the movement Oh
q single ship, or the firing of gun,
large or small, from the beginning Oh
the action to its end.
Instead of being officially crowned
with the laurels of that victory, AZ
rniral Sampson is rather deserving OF
court-martial-no for his own person
al absence from the line of battle, but
because on the occasion of that ab-
sence he took with him one of the
very best ships in the fleet, the cruls-
er New York 1t may have been hec-
essary for him to confer with General
Shafter at that time, although the pub
lie has never been shown wherein the
necessity lay Giving the admiral the
benefit of every doubt upon that point
still is ii plain to the veriest tyro in
naval affairs that it was not necessary
for him to go in the New York, thus
withdrawing from the line of battle
one of the two armored cruisers that
were believed TO be the only vessels in
the feet capable Of running down the
Spanish ships This is what he did,
confessedIy, and if Cerveras feet, or
part of il, had escaped, there would
have been an almost irresistible popu-
lar demand for SIMPSONS court-mar-
tial
And Cervera would have escaped-not
with one ship. but with all of them, had
it not been for the promptness, energy,
skill, and indomitable courage of the
second in command, Admiral Schley,
whose flagship, the Brooklyn. bore the
brunt of the battle, and contributed the
most TO the destruction of the Spanish
fleet
There is absolutely no room for a
discussion of this matter. A PROPOSE
ton that has but one side admits Of
no discussion" The Navy Depart
ment has never yet given to the pub
lie a statement that affords even col
or OF justification for the persistent
and malignant effort that has been
made TO glorify Sampson at the ex-
pense of Schley. There was not
shadow Of right in the original act by
which Captain Sampson was advanced
over the head of mis- ranking officer,
Commodore SchIey. But as one wrong
usually begets another. so this one bore
its legitimate fruit in a continuous ef-
fort By Secretary Long to justify the
first act of gross favoritism, by en-
deavoring to reward Sampson beyond
his deserts in every possible way.
Thus far the Senate has refused TO
be a party to such an ipfamy by con-
firIning SIMPSONS promotion over
Schley. In this there can be no doubt
that the Senate has simply voiced the
overwhelming sentiment of the coun-
try. 1t is unfortunate for the Navy
Department, and for the entire Admin
istration, that this thing has occur
red. So extraordinary has been this ac-
ton that the public mind is filed with
the most painful suspicious as TO tht
motive that has inspired it When ar
officer is showered with honors tina
upon the surface of things do not be.
long to him, that he never openly
earned, nothing can be more natura
than for the public to suspect that be
low the surface there may be a secre
and a sinister motive. That such
feeling now prevails In the American
mind it is useless to deny.
This latest act Of partiality win ais
again direct public attention to Samp
sons aristocratie and un-American at
tack upon the man behind the gun.
The incident Of Gunner Morgan IS still
fresh in the memory of au-how Samp
Eon. admitting Morgan's fitness in ev
cry way. both professionally and so
Cially stlH advised against his promo
tion. because he came from clas
which generally had not enjoyed higl
social advantages. The publication O
this official statement by Sampson sen
wave of Indignation rolling over tn
land from ocean to ocean, and from tn
Great Lakes to the Gulf Of Mexico.
And the Indignation became none tn
less when it appeared that Schley ha
given Morgan a most cordial endorse
ment, urging both the propriety an
the justice Of a full recognition and en-
couragement of those gallant mer VIII
constitute the bone and sinew as we
as q goodly part Of the brains Of tn
American Navy. This was no NOR
than was 90 be expected from the big
hearted seaman who almost befor
The smoke Of Santiago had lifted fror
the scene, exclaimed in his generou
e2ultation, There is glory enough 70
ALI"
Now, upon the heels Of the Morga
incident. we have the Secretary Of tn
Navy approving a medal which bear
portrait Of Sampson upon the on
side and that Of man behind Ii
gun" en- the other. How can the aris
tocratic soul Of Sampson stand so clio.
q contact as that2 The anomaly
most striking. But Sampson viii stan
St all right. Only allow his portrait /
appear as the chief figure upon
medal struck IN honor Of a victor.
which he claimed, but never won, an
he cars not What else is pictured upo
that medal IN an inferior way.
The medal. as designed. is utterl