The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-06-25

Clark, United States navy to be a
rear admiral of the senior grade on
the active list of the navy, who shall
be carried on said list as additional to
the numbers of said grade. "
Surely no voice will be raised in hos
tility to this suggestion. Surely the
partisans on both sides of the Schley-
Sampson controversy will unite in adj
vocacy of a measure so righteous and
so honorable. Whatever doubts may
still survive as to other matters con-
nected with the episode of 1898, there
can be none regarding the record,
the character, and the achievements
of Capt. Clark. Next to Dewey's ex-
plot in Manila Bay, Clark's handling
of the Oregon, from San Francisco to
Santiago, his part in the engagement
Of July 3, and his subsequent behav-
commanded the respect and admira-
tion of his fellow citizens. He held
aloof from the tawdry lotteries and
conspiracies which led up to the court
of inquiry. He neither whispered
scandal and detraction in clubs and
drawing rooms nor inspired malice in
the newspapers. And when he went
upon the stand to give his testimony
not even the combined ingenuity of
Lemly, Ward and Hanna availed to
eXtort from his one word of which
soldier and a gentleman need have
been ashamed.
Capt. Clark was not only truthful,
he was intelligent. He and Cook
were the only captains who saw all
of the battle and could, therefore,
speak with authority from first to
last. He and Cook told all the story.
The American people will never
forget Clark's modesty and dignity on
that occasion, still less their debt to
him for his ability, his gallantry, and
his power in action. Congress could
please and reassure the country in no
more gratifying way than by giving
this thriceearned recognition to
Capt. Clark.
With greater pleasure the Watch
man and Journal recalls the circum-
stance that it was the newspaper
which first took up the cause of Cap
tain Clark, maintained and showed
from the indisputable facts and rec
ords Of the war with Spain that his
achievements with the Oregon were
hardly second to the deeds of Dewey
and his fleet, that in respect of the
value of his services to his country,
in the matters of glory and gallantry,
in the capabilities disclosed of great
commander, he was second to none,
not even to his fellow " hill born
hero of the seas - that in the quail
tiles of becoming modesty, sound
sense, clear intelligence and noble
bearing under very trying conditions,
he had no peer in the military service
of his country in the period in which
he won distinction that has now, how
ever inadequate and belated, received
his governments official recognition
The case of Captain Clark was taken
| up by the press of the whole country.
| The inner and decisive circumstances
of the famous cruise of the Oregon,
the splendid heroism of crew and COM
mander, the matchless seamanship,
the ships constant preparedness on
! the voyage and on the blockade fo1
instant action with all its titanic en-
ergy in speed and destructiveness in
battle, was told throughout the land
and across the seas, and by English
naval experts Captain Clark was pro
nounced the foremost seaman and war.
rior of the American navy.
Feuds and jealousies engendered il
the Santiago campaign and the pre-
determination of the navy depart
ment and its bureau chiefs to selec
and make the naval heroes of tina
campaign long deprived Captain Clarl
of the promotion that was his due
and of which he yet comes far short
But there is supreme thankfulnes
that another kindred spirit, mai
of the same heroic build as the cap
tain of the Oregon, has taken thi
modest officers case into his owl
hands and prepared for him such rec
ignition as within his power lies
Honor both to President Roosevelt
and Admiral Clark.