The sun., 1909-05-19


ganizaton, OF which we know officially
only that the majority report was signed
by seven line officers and onestaf officer,
while the minority report has the moral
support Of only two staff officers, "Ad-
mirAl' CAPPs, the Chief Constructor,
and Admiral" RodERs, the Chief Com
rnissary Of the navy. IT seems quite
clear that the eight in question advo-
Gated the restoration Of the navy yards
to military control, and equally clear
that the serried two chung desperately
to the civilian auspices inaugurated
during tho brief and larnentAble dispen-
sation Of Secretary NEwBERRY. This
illumination is brought home to us
by Senator HALE's opposition to the
nomination Of Commander CONE as
Chief Engineer, for the installation Of
CONE will put an end to the domina-
ton Of Admiral" CApPs, who had been
designated to rule over the engineer as
we'll as the construction bureau and 90
bestride our entire navy yard system.
The logical inference is that Mr.. HALE
wished his friend the Admiral" to
remain in charge, or, barring that, some
reasonably amenable alter ego from the
staff. An arrangement Of that sort
would maintain most admirably the
equilibrium whereby the patronage Of
the navy yards, political, commercial,
&C., might run along pleasantly in old
familiar grooves, and it would forever
disqualify the Intervention Of line officers
who might set military efficiency above
the ambitions and the convenience Of
civilian padrones. It would not do to
say, perhaps. that Mr.. HALE expected
to restore his potent colleague CAPPs
to visible domination Of the engineer
corps, for that, If not actually illegal,
would be manifeetly absurd. Evidently,
however, he did not want line officer
at the head Of a line bureau. Otherwise
he would not have opposed CONE, Of
whom he knew nothing and who had
been recommended by a large majority
of those who did know. 1t is obvious that
in default Of CAPPs himself he wanted a
pleasant, agreeable, ,tractable staff officer
who would, under CAPps's skilful manip-
ulation, contrive q prolongation of the
profitable political arrangement ushered
in by Secretary EEwBERRY.
This must be a proud moment for
the Hon. GEORGE Won L. MRYER, NOM
inally the head Of the Navy Depart
ment and legally responsible and au-
thoritative In all respects Of its organiza-
ton and control. He has appointed
Commander CONE to be Chief OF the
Bureau Of Steam Engineering. CONE
is by common consent a most efficient
and capable officer-the man for the
place by overwhelming testimony. His
installation will not only put an end to
CAPPs domination Of the navy yards,
it will give the country in high po-
sition a very excellent and thoroughly
equipped official OF course the fight
for adequate and patriotic naval ad-
ministration will not be ended by an
obliteration of the Newberry nightmare.
1t will still be necessary to stifie the
abuses which have crept in to oomplicate
simplicity and to enthrone civilian in
fiuences in what ought to be purely
equation. Mr.. MEYER is CON-
fronted by the alternative Of manag-
ing his department according to his
judgment and conscience or abandoning
it, as we now know NEwBERRY did, to
the aspirations and the predictions OF
Senator EUGENE HALE.