The age-herald., 1902-03-29
Washington Day by Day

WaSnlnBIoD, MATCH 1o.-NopeSiai.l- l-Ah view of the governmental outrage upon Admiral schley and MT. Roosevelt's man Roots studied affront to General Miles in the army reorganization bill. it Is need ful to repeat here the facts of an out rageous occurrence on board an Ameri- can worship in European watersheds which demonstrate how thoroughly the navy, like the army, is rotten with poli- ties.
 A certain American worship was in a cartain British port. The officers having been officially entertained at dinner where the toasts to the late Queen and the President were drunk, much to the surprise of the Americans, our officers took early opportunity to reciprocate by giving dinner on board of their own ship to the British officers.
 The American dinner was proceeded with quite as happily as had been the case with the British dinner until the time came for the customary toasts, Ia miliar to the officers of the navy and army of every country in the world ex- cept the United States. No toasts being proposed, the British officers became a trifle nervous, and finally very Ill at ease. because their own regulations com- pelled them to drink their national toast, "The Queen," which, as every one un- derstands, means "Our Country" all na- tional affairs being conducted in the title of the sovereign, just as in the United States courts causes are brought in the name of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
 Finally at this peculiar American naval dinner, one of the British guests, who was placed near the officer at the head of the table-'the president of the mess -ventured to say to him in good-natured comradeship:
 "Tell me. old chap. don't you ever at dinner aboard ship toast your President or country?'
 "Who? Grover Cleveland? Why, we don't care a damn for him!' was the re- sponse
 The British offcers-and "the president of the mess'' spoke loud enough for all 10 near him-were mortified and utterly dis gusted and so will be every respectable American citizen who reads this state ment.
 "Who? Grover Cleveland? Why, we don't care a damn for him!' That grossly offensive speech uttered to foreirners about the President of the United States who Is by law the com mander-in-chief of our navy was foul with politics and ill-breeding-foul in out | rageous insubordination, and as matter of course 1t thoroughly disgusted the British officers who were gentlemen and therefore different from the American of fcer.
 On another occasion, when the officers of another American warship were en- tertained at dinner by British army of ficers in fortress, "the president Of the mess," after toasting "The Queen,' toasted "The President" and the half dozen American officers present rose to the toast with the utmost reluctance, the British having to paus painfully until the Americans had all risen. No officer of the American ship saying a word in response. the president of the British mess l called up an American in civil life who was present to respond to the American | toast.
 Of all this sort of conduct on the part | of American naval officers Is known to and freely discussed In every navy in the world. Why, department clerks In Wash ington have better manners than Annap- l 1tto ,lo ah ir ne
 
 There is a certain Alabama boy-the son | of a Blackbelt gentleman-who recently in his own way expressed the national disgust with and contempt for the navy. This boy sought an appointment, some months ago, to Annapolis, and he wrote | to his Congressman 8 statement of his | wishes and his hopes. The Congressman replied that there was no vacancy for in mind for some vacancy that might occur. Shortly afterwards the conspiracy | against Schley eliminated. and the news papers were filled with resentment, and discussion of that corrupt ring in the navy department which had aroused the bitter | antagonism of the American people. And | now the army IS coming fin for an equal share of public contempt. Roosevelt and Root are quite as bad as Roosevelt Long | and Crowninshield were. Long and Crowninshield are gone; but Roosevelt has chosen Moody. and therefore there is no hope for navy or army. | While MT. Henry Watterson is ordin- fly a man of little political judgment and | is "a failure as party leader, he for the once wise and safe in saying that there shall be but one campaign shibboleth ip 1904, and that will be. Toe the line,' " said a famous Democratic leader yester- | day.
 This statesman chuclxled as he repeated the phrase.
 ""Toe the line Watterson has made great issues absurd by his poetic redun- dancies, such as 'star-eyedgoddess' one hundred thousand unarmed Kentuckians'
 when there are probably not thousand men in all Kentucky who go unarmed- and so on, irterminably. But for once | the Louisville editor has hit it right in | saying that the only test of Democracy in 1904 will toe the linep He states a pleasing fact very picturesquely: There | will be but one test of a Democrat in 1so4-toe the line toe the line, saying to