The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-01

pathy with the Sampson end of the
proposition. In a chorus, they pro-
ceeded to relate with great detail, the
alleged misdoings of Schley in the San
tiago battle. The visitor listened at
tentively to their explanations. and ac-
cepted them for what they were worth.
Then he interrupted them long enough
to saw:
you fellows have not told me any
thing more than 1 have seen stated
in the newspapers. Now let us De
We all know that prior to
the battle of Santiago, no
one ever charged Schley with being a
coward All of us here know Frank
Cook, who was captain of the Brook
Ign. We also know that Cook does not
know how to command a gunshy ship.
If there is a daring and courageous
man in the navy, he is Captain Cook,
and l believe that he would disobey
orders before he would turn tail and
run away from an enemy. Now, just
for my own satisfaction, l want you
fellows who were down at Santiago
and saw the maneuvers of the Brook
Ign while in action to tell me honestly
what you think of Schely's famous
loop movement"
A dead silence fell upon the group
until finally every member of the party
was obliged to confess that he was
absent from Santiago and. therefore,
could not express an opinion based on
personal experience or observation.
This it appears that the bulk of the
criticism passed upon Admiral Schley
comes from naval officers and persons
who were not eyewitnesses of the bat
tie of Santiago, but are influenced in
denouncing him because they imagine
they may curry favor with the all pow
erful chief of the Bureau of Naviga-
ton, Rear Admiral Cronwinshield.
Bureaucracy.
Some of the critics of the administra-
ton declare that a government of as
! sistant secretaries and chief clerks now
rules this free people. Not in years and
years have so many heads of depart
men.s been away on vacation as at this
time The President has been absent
from Washington several months since
the beginning of his second term. Dur
ing the present week Secretaries Hay,
Root, Long, Hitchcock. Attorney Gen
eral Knox and Postmaster General
Smith were absent from their desks.
some for a week and others for
month.
In addition, Assistant Secretary Hill
who has been acting secretary of state
! for the greater part of the time since
| March 4, and Third Assistant Secretary
| Gridler of the state department, are
out of town Tuesday was a day of
hitting. Secretary Long, Assistant Sec
rotary Hill. Judge Advocate General
/ Lemly of the navy, commonly called
| the jag" because that is his desig-
nation in the avail cipher code, and
! Chief Constructor Bowles went away
! on that day, each for a vacation Of a
! month.
The State Department is left in
! charge of Alvey A Adee, second as
! sistant secretary, whose peculiarities
/ are the jest of everybody in the i'm
mense granite State. War and Navy
! building Mr.. Adee is very deaf and
! imagines when he is acting secretary,
| that Atlas had an easy Job in COM
| parison with his. When he is merely
second assistant, Mr.. Adee wears a
bicycle suit. When he becomes the act
! ing head of the department. he hauls
on a Prince Albert coat that reaches
his knees and otherwise tries to live up
to the dignity of his high office. At or
binary times. Mr. Adee's ailments call
! for pills out of only seven bottles. When
he becomes acting secretary, so report
has 1t, they require treatment from an
even dozen bottles. He is a funny lit
/ tie Scotchman, who is never heard OF
except when his two superiors are
away. His speciality is writing condo
/ lences when royalty dies or when roy
| atty has another baby. He is strong on
/ that kind Of heavy literary-work.
Another Assistant Secretary bowed
| down by weight OF dignity because his
! chief is away Is Mr.. Frank Haekett,