The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-01-16
PUNISHMENT FOR DEWEY, MILES
AND MACLAY.
Baltimore Sun.

Baltimore Sun.
The officer of the most exalted rank
in the navy and the officer OF the high
est rank in the army have fallen upon
evil DAYS, incurred the displeasure of
their bureau chiefs. Admiral Dewey,
an innocent, unsophisticated sailor,
rashly expressed the opinion as presi-
dent Of the Naval Court of Inquiry
that the officer in command at San
tiago was the man on the spot when
the battle was raging, and not the
absentee at Sibonev, who was far be-
yond the range of the biggest guns in
the Spanish fleet. That seasoned
veteran Of many wars, Hon. John ID.
Long, Secretary of the Navy, who
knows more about sea fighting than a
dozen yictors OF Manila Bay, has ere
buked" the admiral of the navy in his
best Bostonian style. Dewey, it APP
pears, is ignorant of the proprieties.
1t was wholly irrevelevant for him to
say that man could not he in two
places at the same time. and therefore
as Sampson was at Sibonsy he could
not possibly be at Santiago. People
not in the service of the United
States navy may entertain such
absu1,. notions, but the admiral OF the
navy must subscribe without MUIR
muir to Navy Department logic. SO
Dewey is .'rebuked' in Mr.. Longs
cultured style. Really, this is more
terrible than fighting Spaniards.
While Mr.. Long was expressing his
dissent from the views of the admiral
Of
was roasting" Lieutenant-Gencral
Miles in the most approved fashion.
The acknowledgement of the army
was adjudgcd guilty by Secretary
Root "Of violation of the Articles Of
War and the rules of official propre-
ty." General Miles, it appears, eX-
pressed approval OF Admiral Dewey's
opinion, and intimated that it reflect
ed the sentiment Of the country.
You had no business in the contro-
versy," writes Mr.. Root to the General
in his severest and most impressive
style. You had no right. holding
the office which you did, to express
any opinion. You are justly
press" SO the general of the army
is ruthlessly brushed aside and made
to know his place by his official SUI
perior. According to the stern and
inflexible etiquette Of the War De
partment, Acknowledgements, like
the little boys in model households,
must be seen and not heard. II Gen.
Miles has any opinions on subjects OF
national interest he must not dare to
utter them aloud or in the presence of
anyone except himself. The Articles
of War forbid him to take anyone into
his confidence. So Miles is repri-
manded and must hide his head in
shame.
Even the pigmy in this celebrated
case does not escape the censure OF
irate officials. The man who wrote
a history in which he denounced g
gallant officer as a .'coward' and
..caitiff" is removed from his place as
especial laborern in the New York
Navy Yard. The rebuke comes rather
late, it is true. Those who know how
sensitive the Navy Department i.
when officers of the naval service are
assailed have wondered how this sen
sitiveness could be reconciled will
the retention in the Government ser
vice Of man who had applied mos
offensive epithets to an honored Off
Ger of the navy. In this case, at least
the 'srebuke" should have been adj
ministered as soon as the offense wa
committed. Prompt action woult
have been more in keeping with tn
Departments sensitive regard for tn
honor of the officers holding commits
sions in the navy than the belate'
csnsure which is now visited upon tn
special laborer' historian of tn
United States navy.
Having administered reprimands
Iebukes and censure all round, tn
next thing to be done is to squelc
the 76, 100000 persons, more or less
who are in hearty agreement wit
Admiral Dewey aud General Miles
These people ought not to be Above
to 60 at large and criticise the verde
OF the Court of Inquiry. Such crit
cism is subversive of discipline. 1t
undeniable that if the ranking office
of the navy and the ranking officer c
the army are not competent to pas
judgment upon military and navs
questions, the untutored masses hav
no business airing opinions which re
fleet upon the Court Of Inquiry an
the Navy Department. Having muz
zled Miles and ordered Dewey to b
dumb about the battle of Santiago
the next thing is to close the mouth
OF the ignorant and unthinking mi
lions who refuse to be convinced b
Admirals Benham and Ramsay. Its
stupendous undertaking to max
100000 people keep quiet. but pc:
sibly the miracle might be wrought
"stinging reprimand' or "crushn
rebuke' could be administered. Lt
the powers that be command the pei
pie. in the words OF the plantatio
darkey. to Ego way back and s
down" Perhaps the people, as on
man, would go Immediately into r,
tirement and brood in silence owe
the wrong done to Admiral Schle,
Here is n chance for our official .'r,
bukers' and ''censurers" to quell tt
nation with choice collection
phrases. Let the injunction ISSUE
The people have no business in tn
controversy"