The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-02-27

of the two men, Admiral sampsy'
Admiral Schley, was at the tin
command is OF merely nominal
acter. Technically Sampson
manded the fleet, and Schley, as
the western division The actual
the important fact, is that aftes
battle was joined, not helm
Shifted, not a gun was fired, j
pound OF steam was put on in tbs en-
CINE room aboard any ship actively
engaged, in obedience to the order OF
either Sampson or Schley, save on
their own two vessels. 1t was cap
tain's fight.
Therefore the credit to which each
is entitled rests on matters apart
from the claim of nominal command
over the squadron; therefore, so fan
as the actual fight was concerned,
neither one nor the other in fact ex-
ercised any command. Sampson was
hardly more than technically in the
fight. His real claim for credit rests
upon his work as commandments
upon the excellence of the blockade;
upon the preparedness of the squad
ron; upon the arrangement of the
ships, bead-on in a semi-circle around
the harbor, and the standing orders II
accordance with which they instantl
moved to the attack of the Spaniard
when the latter appeared. For O.
these things the Credits his.
Admiral Schley is rightly entitle
as is Captain Cook, to the credit
what the Brooklyn did in the fig
On the whole she did we'll; but ag1
with unanimous findings of the thu
admirals who composed the court
inquiry as to the loop 1t seriou
marred the Brooklyn's otherwise
cellent record, being in fact the {
grave mistake made by any Amerit
ship that day. Had the Brook
turned to the westward that is,
the same direction that the Span
ships were going, instead of in
contrary direction, she would undo1
eddy have been in more danger,
proximity to them. But it wo
have been more dangerous for tn
as we'll as for her. This kind of de
ger must not be too nicely weigh,
by those whose trade it is to da.
greatly for the honor of the ia
Moreover, the danger was certain !
not as great as that which in the SELF
same moment menaced Wainwright u
Aic"toiiS SitiAl oo uC NAoV0 Iva va "
against the foe. 1t was not, in my
judgment, as great as the danger to
which the Texas was exposed by the
turn as actually made. 1t certainly
caused both the Brooklyn and Texas
to the fleeing ships. But after the
Schley handled the Brooklyn manful-
1u Cho he
were thenceforth the headmost of the
American vessels, though the Iowa
certainly ana seemingly the Texas
also, did as much in hammering to
a standstill the Viscaya, Oquendo and
Teresa; while the Indiana o.d all her
eastward position and crippled ma
chinery~permitted. In the chase Of
the Colon the Brooklyn and Ore
I'share the credit between them.
Under such circumstances it
to me that the recommendatio
President Mckinley were eminer
proper and that SO far as Adm
,mpson and Admiral Schley w
: I<lcerned it would have been uni
IN to have made other reco ;.
I l.. lnaatioIs. Personally / feel that
view of captain Clark's long voya,
in the Oregon and the condition
which he brought her to the seemed
service ~ well as the way he actus
ly managed her before and during t
fight, it would have been well to hs
given him the same advaIic ementc Cha
was given Wainwright. But waivin
this, it is evident that Wainwright we
entitled to receive more than al
of the other commanders, and that
was just to Admiral Sampson that
should receive a greater advance
numbers than admiral Schley-tf
was nothing done in the battle
warranted any unusual reward
either. In short, as regards At
ais Sampson and Schley, find l.. :.
President Mckinley did substantial
justice and that there would be nc
warrant for reversing his action.
Both Admiral Sampson and Admiral
Schley are now on the retired list. In
concluding their report the members
of the court of inquiry, Admirals
| Dewey, Benham and Ramsay, unite in
stating that they recommend no fur
ther action be had in the matter
With this recommendation I mos,
heartily concur. There is no excuse
whatever from either side for ar
further agitation of this unhappy col
troversy. To keep it alive woui
merely do damage to the navy and t
the country.
| (Signed.) Theodore Roosevelt"
One morning after the hand-organ
got hold of his Washington Pos
March," John Philip Sousa ran acros.
an Irishman playing the march at a
dlrge-like pace, which set his teeth
on edge. Snatching the handle of the
organ away from, him Sousa exclaim
ed, angrily: my heavens, man! VIII,
don't you play it with little energy
There's nobody dead on this block.
The 1rishman stood by, open mouthe
wonder. as Sousa dashed through t
measures at rafting pace. who
you. anyhow" he exclaimed at leng
Il am Mr.. Sousa," explained the bal
master; II composed that march. Doa
mind my giving you a friena
pointer" The Irishman retired W.
his features wreathed in smiles. N,
morning an enormous placard
peared about his neck. It was print
in red ink, and ran as follows:
pupil of Sousa."