Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-18
BARS THE MACLAY HISTORY
House Votes Unanimously to Exclude the
Book from Naval Academy,
sUsTAlNs WISH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
Navy Yard Historian Is Denounced as
bastard for Defaming Admiral
SchIey, who is Gener-
ally ExtoIled.

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE house spent
the day in discussing the naval appropria-
ton bill and the most important feature Of
the discussion involved a revival Of the
Sampson Schley controversy. This arose
over an amendment to the bill, which was
presented by Mr.. Mudd Of Maryland and
which was adopted, prohibiting the use Of
Maclay's history Of the navy as a text
book at the naval academy. A number Of
minor amendments to the bill was adopted,
but the consideration of the measure was
not completed before the house adjourned.
Mr.. Mudd at this point offered his amend
ment to exclude from the naval academy
and from ships and government libraries
the history of Edgar Stanton Maclay.
Mr.. Dayton made the point Of order
against the amendment and the chair sus-
tanned the point.
Mr.. Mudd then offered a substitute
amendment providing that no part Of the
money appropriated in the bill under con-
sideration shall be expended in the pur-
chase Of any history Of the Spanish Amer
lean war written by Edgar Stanton Maclay,
for use at the naval academy, in ship Ii
braries or in any part of the naval estab-
lishment Of the United States.
Dayton Loses h Time.
Mr.. Dayton of West Virginia made the
usual point Of order against the substitute
amendment, but the chair held that the
amendment was germane.
Mr.. Mudd having succeeded in getting
this matter before the house, said that
the president Of the United States had
stated to him that this work should
never be used. In reply to a question Of
Mr.. Dayton, who asked why he wanted to
put the amendment on the bill in view of
the fact that the president would hold over
the next fiscal year, Mr.. Mudd said that
while Mr.. Roosevelt was a very lively
force at this time and promised to live
out this term and be ready to take
another. he wanted to guarantee against
any contingencies.
Mr.. Pearre of Maryland said he wanted
to join his colleague in his unqualified ad-
miration for that admirable American and
great sea fighter, Admiral Winfield Scott
Schley. Admiral Schley, he said, had
borne with fine patience the onslaughts Of
his defamers and, with it all, stood before
the country as the real hero of Santiago.
The Wounds in the hull of the gallant
Brooklyn testified which vessel had borne
the brunt of the fight.
stand by the President.
Mr.. Schirm of Maryland, in making his
maiden effort before the house, said that
the unfortunate controversy between Samp-
son and Schley had not been forced by the
friends of Admiral schley; that truth had
been perverted by Maclay. He had at
tempted to besmirch the record Of one Of
the most illustrious naval officers Of his
time. Mr.. Schirm characterized the act Of
Maclay as "dastardly" and he wanted the
house to stand by the president. who had
publicly announced that Maclay's history
should find no place in the curriculum Of
the naval academy or in the ships Libraries.
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois remarked that he
did not believe that anybody In the house
or in the country believed that Schley was
a coward. He said he did not believe any
body in the house or the country believed
that Maclay was telling the truth when
he wrote about. Schley as he did. He
thought, however, as Maclay had been
kicked out of the service, 1t came with
rather bad grace to attach the amendment
to the bill, when its adoption could not
change the judgment of mankind as to
Schley's standing.
Thu amendment was adopted without a
dissenting vote.