The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-25
ROOSEvELT,S SECOND GREAT
BLUNDER.

Roosevelt does not mean well. He has
already been guilty Of two or three very
serious blunders. 1t he should live to
be as old as a century he will never out
live that Booker Washington fiasco.
| II he should achieve a longevity equal
to two centuries he will never escape
remembrance and criticism for his es-
capade as to Rear Admiral Schley. He
was assured by his special republican
friends n advisers that his deliver
ance as to Schley was immense, just
the thing. most conclusive, grand and
glorious. And the little man believed
it all. But now he is laughed at, per-
forated, jibbed and ever ~despised by
some. His inconsistency and eccentric
ity are marked and visible and con-
temptible. 1t is said that before that
most unfortunate, absurd, unjust deliv-
erance there were several classes who
forecast the horoscope and made pre-
dictions Of the coming show Oh comet.
The Baltimore Sun says:
"A skeptical minority were of the
opinion that the presidents deliverance
would be a prodigy of cecentricity:
Now that we have Mr.. Roosevelt'S de-
cision it must be conceded that the mi
nority forecast was the correct one. The
presidents conclusions are very eccen-
trio. Mr.. Roosevelts eccen-
tricity is conspicuous in his treatment
OF the turning movement of Schley's
flagship at a critical stage IN the San
tiago battle. The president is impress
ed with the idea that Admiral Sch.ey
ordered the loop to avoid dangerous
proximity with the enemy. Hence he
observes in a lofty sort of way: This
kind of danger must not be too nicely
weighed by those whose trade 1t is to
dare greatly for the honor of the flag"
1t is impossible to be seriously offended
by such an observation when one re-
fleets that Admiral Schlev was fighting
heroically before our present Chief Mag
istrate had graduated from the nursery,
with its imposing array of little toy SOL
diers." 81
But what would be the use of a care
full elaborate analysis of Rough Riders
record? 1t would probably prove to be
another case of loves labor lost" It
is plain he has taken the evidence If
men who were not in the fight which
ignored that of gallant officers who
helped to win the most splendid naval
battle in American history. The presi-
dent is so shamefully hard up he de-
clares that some of the captains in that
great fight would not have received or
ders from Schley. II r they deserve
to be kicked out because of jealously
n INSTRUMENTATION. The braggart Ev-
ans is one of these. The Sun says to
the point:
There it is. Each captain at Santa
go. with the exception of the modest
Clark, regarded himself as a bigger
man than old Schley. and not to be or
dered around by his senior IN the SER
vice. Those who have mistakenly m
agined that a beautiful spirit of co-ope-
ration prevails among naval officers
and that they worked together In unity
Will be disillusioned by Admiral Evans
blunt assertion"
Roosevelt found nj commander o.
hand at Santiago on the morning Of
the great battle. July 8. 1898. 1t was
simply a free fight" every man for
himself and "the devil take the hind
most" Sampson was away. ten or
twelve miles of; Schley was not in
command. and Evans and his tribe were
in revolt. There were confusion. dis
may, despair because of discord. Was
that true? Who were In the ight-the
chief fighters. Schley was there. Clark
was there. But somehow Schley de-