Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-09
THEY ARE AETER DEWEY.

The New York Sun. which appears 70 be
the organ of the naval clique that has
been laboring for more than two years TO
rob Admiral schIey OF the honor due him
FOR the destruction Of Cerevra's fleet; to
go even further and assail his official and
personal character. has begun TO assail
Admiral Dewey also.
Dewey's crime is that he stood squarely
up for schley and declared that he is the
indisputable victor of Santiago.
Dewey put his opinion of the result Of
the schley investigation so clearly and
emphaticauy that IT was construed. and
Justly so. as a rebuke to those who had
endeavored TO pull him down.
/ This was quite enough to cause The Sun
TO turn upon Dewey with a vengeance.
The policy it has adopted toward the most
eminent officer in the American navy. who
is also the most famous Of living naval
commanders. may be judged by the follow
ing extract from recent leading edito-
rial in that newspaper:
George Dewey, the commander OF a
squadron the effect Of whose operations
was great politically. but Insignificant up
on the actual war. was made admiral. But
| Sampson, the commander OF the fleet upon
whose operations the actual triumph OF
| the American arms over Spain was based.
| is rewarded with every circumstance OF
popular insult. And finally the same Dew
ey aims an uncalled-for blow at him, for
hidden. under the attending circumstances,
BY the simplest laws of good faith
How we'll Dewey carried out the orders
of the navy department is indicated on
page S. Of the appendix TO the report OF
the chief OF the bureau OF navigation,
where a copy Of the following dispatch APP
pears:
WASHINGTON. Feb. 25. 1898.
Dewey. Hong Kong:
'Order the squadron, except the Monoc-
acy, TO Hong Kong. Keep full of coal. In
the event declaration of war with Spain,
your duty will be to see that the Spanish
squadron does not leave the Asistic coast,
and then offensive operations i'm Philippine
islands. Keep Olympia until further or
ders. ROOSEVELT.
The statement that Deweys sudden
stroke that resulted i'm the humiliation of
the Spanish fleet in the east and the cap
ture OF Manila had an Insignificant effect
upon the war shows to what extent the
blind rage of The New York Sun has gone.
Another display of its passion is evident
in the statement that Dewey "aims an
uncaIIed-for blow at Sampson when he
tory at Santiago belongs to the man who
was in actual command there. directed all
the fighting and was in the very thick of
IL. Dewey as president OF the investigat-
ing board interrupted a number of the
witnesses and counsel on both sides fire.
Quently to call for facts instead of theo-
ries and differences.
Repeatedly he said "Give us the facts.
That is what we want. Facts! Facts"
He got them and they showed so clear
~ what part Schley had in the fight and
in accomplishing It's results that he felt
compelled TO render the verdict that has
reused the wrath Of Schleys enemies.
They know that Dewey's opinion out
weighs those of the two judges who differ
ed with him and is so accepted by the
people of the United States. Before the
opinion Of Dewey was given TO the public
IL was never charged or even limited that
he had the slightest prejudice against
Sampson. Nobody now believes that he
had II is not Dewey's fault that the
facts" which he sought so eagerly, in
sisted upon having. upset the claim that
was made for Sampson by his overzealous
friends who seem to have been animated
quite as mitch by desire to damn Schley
as TO glorify Sampson.
The Sun and those for whom it speaks
have undertaken a task as hopeless as it
is contemplate in attempting to drag
down Dewey after failing to ruin Schley.
In this miserable business The Sun is
as lonesome among American newspapers
as are the detractors of Schley and the
accusers of Dewey among the great
masses Of the American people.