The Savannah morning news., 1902-01-01
LET The THING DROP
COL. TESTERS VIEW OF THE
sAMPsoN-sCHLEY CONTROVERSY.
TALKING DOES NO GOOD.
PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY DUBBED
SCHLEY THE SANTIAGO HERO.

No Congressional Action Can
Change, Weaken or Increase This
Firmly Rooted Conviction, and
Can Do No Good to the Cause OF
Admiral SchIeY-He Does Not Need
the Action of Congress to Pro-
nOunce Him the Hero of the Fight.
However, Some Action by Congress
VIII Probably BE Tal<en-Canal
Construction and Irrigation VIII
Cut River and HarbOr Bill.
Congressman Rufus f. Lester thinks
that the best thing that can be done
about the Sampson Schley controversy
the best thing for the country and
for Admiral Schley, is for Congress to
permit the whole matter to drop with
a dull, cold and sickening thud.
why what's the use of talking
about it any longer?" he said last
night. What good is it going to do
Admiral Schley? Congress can't make
him a hero by the passage of a set of
resolutions, and the country has al
ready given him that distinction.
Everybody practically is convinced
that he is entitled to the glory and
credit for the victory over the Spanish
feet off Santiago and no congressional
action can change or affect. strengthen
or weaken, this opinion. Congress can't
increase the glory of Admiral Schley
and it seems to me that much the best
thing for it to do is just-nothing.
~ I cd
think it extremely probable that Con-
gress will take some action in this
matter, looking ostensibly to the vindi-
cation of Admiral Schley. His friends
forget he doesn't need it. All sorts of
schemes are suggested; / don't know
what will ultimately be done"
Col. Lester said there seems Little
likelihood that there will be amy change
in the Nicarsguan canal project, and
that there is practically no chance of
the adoption by Congress of the Pan
anna route. The members of Congress
seemed determined to adopt the report
of the commission, though personally
he was inclined to think that the
Panama route possessed points of SUI
peroirity.
There is a cry also for the irriga-
ton of the barren lands of the West,
Col. Lester said, the proposition being
for the government to sell the public
lands and apply the fund so resulting
of country. 1t will mean millions for
the West and 1t is a faVorite measure
with the Republicans.
These two measures-the construc-
tion of the Nicaraguan canal and the
irrigation scheme, will mean that some
t.. y
the river and harbor bill, and this will
not be as large as DIT was at the last
session. Col. Lester said there will be
"A river and harbor bill, of course, and
he believes it will contain a provision
appropriating a sufficient sum of
money for the completion of the 2S-
foot project for the harbor of
Savannah. There is nearly half
a million dollars already available and
TO give the desired depth in the chan
mel this amount will have to be some
thing more than doubled. Col. Lester
thinks Savannah will get the money.
The Congressman was asked If he be-
lieyes there is any probability that the
Republican Congress intends to give
reciprocity to Cuba.
Il have no idea it has any such in
tention." he said. There was a time
when some of the Republican mem
bers seemed disposed to kick over the
traces, but that has all passed, and /
think that all of them will act to-
gether Congress has promised Cuba
independence, but not reciprocity, and
] am quite convinced that island won't
get any more-to say the least of It
than is in the agreement. The Re-
publican members will act practically
as a unit in this regard, and that they
won't give Cuba reciprocity 1 feel as
sured"
And what will be the policy of the
Democratic members in this Congress?"
Col. Lester was asked.
I'VE haven't got any," he said, lex
cept to fight the policies the Republi-
can party has made it's own and try
to bring the country back to the old
ideals of our fathers. The Republican
party stands now for imperialism, the
promotion of trusts and the trust idea,
the Capitalization of power and the
destruction of disregard of the liberty
of the individual. In these respects
it is directly opposed to the standards
of Democracy, and all we can do is
to try and keep the country where
or as near where IL ought to be. To
control the Republicans, to check their
arbitrary assumptions of power, to
prevent the destruction of individual
hberty-this is our policy. If we ac-
complish this we shall have done all
for which we could hope"
Col. Lester reached the city yester-
day morning and is a guest of his
daughter, Mrs. Edward Karow, ON
Gwinnett street. He will be in the city
until Sunday, when he will return to
Washington.