The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-17
LIVELY DAY IN HOUSE
FAVoRITIsM OF NAVY DEPART
dENT ATTACKED.
A POEM ON CRoWNINSHIELD.
sCHLEY CASE AND MACLAY HIS
TORY Up AGAIN.

Williams of Mississippi Describes in
Poetic Language the Recent Head
of the Bureau of Navigation as
1.-The Greatest Tar That Ever
Stayed characterization People
Are Doing Their own Thinking
About SchIey and Santiago, He
said-"COpperhead" Resolutions by
Union Veterans of Indiana Cause
Talk.
Washington, May 16-The House had
another lively day of debate to-day.
Philippine atrocities and the Schley
case came in for considerable attention.
The naval appropriation bill contin-
ued to be under consideration, but 1t
received little attention after these
more exciting themes of debate came
up.
Mr.. Cannon of Illinois and sIr. Hep
burn of Iowa brought on the discussion
by criticising the extent to which ma
val officers secured comfortable berths
ashore. This gave Mr.. Williams of
Mississippi opportunity to make a
vary SdICdSllC SpeeNh dl thO SNPSS
of Admiral Crowninshield, during
which he read a poem describing the
late head of the Bureau of Navigation
as 1.-The greatest tar that ever stayed
ashore"
In more serious vein, Mr.. Williams
referred to the Sampson-Schley contro-
versy. Whatever the official conclusion
might be, the American people had
conclusion that Admiral
Schley had had something to do with
the battle of Santiago. And yet 1t had
happened that Historian Maclay had
written a history and submitted 1t TO
the great head authority, Crownln-
shield, declaring that Schley had moth
ing to do with the victory.
Despite the imperial ukase that the
Schley case must be dropped, the
American people were not disposed 10
be stopped in pursuing their own CON
clusions. He commented on the tact
that the Committee on Rules had bur
led q. resolution designed to inVestl-
gate the charge that Admiral Crownln-
shield had passed on the Maclay ms
tory.
Yesterday comparing the Civil war
conditions with those in the Philip-
pines. Mr.. Williams declared lnat as
an American he hurled back the COM
harrison. Never in the civil conflict had
thare been an order to make howl
ing wilderness or justifying murder
and rape by soldiers. Have we reach
ed the stage when the army was
greater than the nation? when the
criminals in the army cannot be held
UP to execration?
Republicans Make Answer.
Sneaking for the Committee on
Rules. Mr.. GrosYenor of OHIO SAID the
Naclay- Crowninshield resolution had
not been reported as it would have
been mere sound and fury" after Al
niral Schley's request for an inquiry
had been complied with, and the sub
iact had been exhaustively considered
nv a naval court and then reviewed by
the President.
Mr.. Foss. in charge of the naval bill.
rose at this point and read dispatch
inst received from the Navy Depart
ment. saving that the third volume or
the Maclay history dealing with the
Santiago battle was never in use at the
naval academy, and that there was no
purpose to use it.
Mr. Cochran of Missouri and Mr..
lands of Indiana discussed the resolu-
tions adopted by the Union veterans or
Indiana. comparing the "Copperheads
of the present day, who criticised the
army in the Philippines with the Cop
perheads of 1876"
Methodist CIninI Reviewed.
Rising to a question Of personal
privilege. Mr.. Sims of Tennessee re-
sented a remark made by Mr.. Jenkins
of Wisconsin during the debate on the
local gas companies consolidation bill
several days ago, that he (Sims) was
only consistent when he votes for the
Methodist Church to rob the treas
ury."
Mr.. Sims reviewed the legislation for
the Methodist Book Concern, South,
and Indignantly repudiated the sugges-
tion that the claim was unworthy.