Sunday Washington globe., 1901-12-22

and con, IN re the Schley Court OF inquiry,
OF more strictly speaking, the inquiry into
the conduct Of the Brooklyn during the
now famous battle of Santiago harbor, and
the personal charges against Admiral
Schley, that l have begun to wonder
whether there ever was a battle at the al
legged time and place and whether such
man as Admiral Schley really exists As
to the first / cannot say, relying solely mp
on the newspapers for information on this
point, and being of the craft, am con.
strained to believe that the desire of the
average newspaper man, or woman, to serve
the news up to the people red hot Il mean
the ne7Os, not the people, is greater than
the desire to authenticate the geographical
position of news centers.
AS to the second, can testify that there
is such a man as Admiral Schley in the
flesh and blood, and very much man at
that. On one occasion ! called on the ad-
miral at the Everett Hotel My mission
was to get an interview. The managing
editor had charged me not TO return without
an interview if / could possibly scare up
one After faithful attempt can say that
if anybody does get an interview from Ad-
miral Schley il will certainly have to be
scared up" or stolen while the gallant sea
man is asleep, dreaming Of victory, right
fully won and gladly applauded which
would make him talk in his sleep. How
ever, he can decline an interview more
courteously than some people grant one,
M Dieudonne, a Belgian artist, now a cit
izen Of this country, was telling me the
other evening that he could not understand
why the people we're so interested in the
testimony adduced at this Court OF Inquiry
Such thing appeared to him much the
same as would the mechanical details of the
manufacture of an immense iron structure
of the individual fitness of the workman
hneness of material used, number of hours
spent at the work, whether industriously
applied, and so on. "Or," f." said he, take
for instance the work Of a great sculptor.
BY day, and often times by night he abors
with chisel and hammer to produce the EN-
bodied and visible form of his ideal and in
visible conception.
Yes, / may say the findings Of the Court
Of Inquiry are, in my opinion, severe, yet
/ am not prepared to say they are unjust,
since ! am not a naval officer and do not
understand the rules and regulations, the
discipline and code of honor governing the
actions of men in this branch of the ma
uonal service 1t appears to me a hrd
list of the navy of his country. having back
of him a long and clean record OF service
bravely and faithfully performed and then
TO be brought to the humiliation of BONG
made cyuosure Of all eyes and the butt
Of illtimed criticism and reproval Yet,
the conscience or the man will be his best
reward after all, and there seems TO be no
Court Of Inquiry severe enough to wipe
away the love Of the American people for
the hero Of Santiago
! Referring to my comparison about the
/ testimony, / have thought that the interest
| Of the people in every point brought out at
! this court, might be likened, by contrast, to
| the work Of a painter / am painter and
! like others Of my calling am fond OF max
| ing comparisons.
For instance, here, in imagination, we
have a painter. He has succeeded in sell
ing his pictures; that is not what he most
desires He has attracted the attention of
tile general public this is not all he wants.
He has won praise from connoisseurs; this
is vet not the height of his ambition.
Finally he tells his patrons that he has
conceived the subject and sitting for a
painting that will help to make his fame
a lasting one. They listen, go away and
forget all about it, Meanwhile the artist is
at work one, two, maybe three or even
five or ten years. His friends come in by
the score One says there is too much
gray, another thinks there is not enough
bright colOring a third believes the figures
untrue to life, and so on and so on. The
painter listens to all they have to say and
takes it all 70 heart. He gets the benefit of
/ the honest criticism of his sincere friends
and profits by it.
Finally, one day he produces his work il
is a masterpiece. The world looks on and
applauds; the lovers Of art crowd round
him, and bidding for the painting run $
high.
"What do they know or care of the details
of the work. What know they Of the patient
toll, the work done to-day, erased "a. NOR
row, reproduced next day, and finally done all
over againl They only know that paint
ing instinct with life and energy and art has
been placed before them they stand and
gaze and wonder why all pictures do not
look like this one--why they do not appeal
to the eye and the love Of the beautiful,
which lies dormant in every heart awaiting
but the touch Of a master to awaken to the
realities aud the luxuries of il all.
And so il is with the Court Of Inquiry in
to the conduct of Commodore Schley at the
battle of Santiago After all, why all this
4 hub.bub9 The people do not know any
thing about warfare and less about naval
battles How can they say the verdict is
just OF unjust, right or wrougl
The main fact to me is that Commodore
Schley did win the battle he did destroy
the Spanish fleet aud capture the Admiral
Cervera thereof; he did deport himself
bravely, tenderly and unfalteungly during
the trying time and his only crime in my
eyes is that he is a Democrat"
newspaper woman works al the desk
next to me. She was writing a letter tC
her brother, and was describing a snow
scene from our window, and then let me
read it before she mailed her letter
thorght It a very fair bit OF description and
asked her to let me copy IT, Here IL Is
Prom my window on the 9th floor Of our
building one can look over the city for per
haps ten miles. The view Is fine and often
times majestic AS the snow gently falls
on top the houses it is like a mantle OF
charity, which is said to cover a multitude