Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-08-29
John D. LONG
PASSES AWAY At
H|NCHAM, MASS.
Secretary of Navy Under McKin-
ley and Former Governor
CT Ma-sac,. lsetts.
SENT MANILA O2DERS
TO ADMIRAL DEWEY
Was Long a FIGURE CT National
Prominen and q Genera,
ly Liked Man.

bingham, Mass, Al, john,
D. Long, formo SIC ;ary Fl q navy,
and former gova,nc r' Nl"e"o- Nsctts,
died at his home fo" t,at -
John d. Long was Hr -. t the
navy during the : w. -American
war. 1t was he w'c 3 On record as
having dispatched hp famous mes
sage of April 25, 1898, to Commodore
George Dewey, com handing the Asia
tic squadron, then aw"i'ng orders at
Hong Kong. The MESSAGE read
"War has commenced between
Spain and the United S'Ht"S. Proceed
at once to the Philippine Islands. Cap
ture or destroy the Spanish ships.
Use the utmost enGeavor."
Navy Enthusiast.
1t was on the sixth day after the re
ceipt of these orders that Dewey re
ported his great victory in the battle
of Manila bay. AS to the message
which had thus sent the fleet into ac-
tion, Secretary Long said:
"My name was at the bottom.
Glorious dispatch! should rather
like to have the credit of it. But il
was not mine. | directed Chief Crow
ninslield of The bureau of navigation
to have such dispatch made ready.
But Crowninshield did not write il.
Who prepared it? Some subordinate
clerk in his bureau. Who? God only
knows. AS for me, should not have
used ihe word commenced. I should
have said: the war has begun Aside
from that. it is a mighty good message.
I thinl. we can pardon that word The
dispatch came in to me- took it to
the president, saying to him: Mr.
President, think this otlght to 60
He said: All right, sign it, y
Mr.. Long was called to head tn,
navy department when President Nc.
Kinley took office in March, 1897, and
also served year in the cabinet OF
President Roosevelt.
Friend of SchIey.
Rumors of his resignation were fre-
quent during the Sampson-Schley con.
troversy. when Mr.. Long was accused
of unduly favoring Schley, but he de
clared he would not resign under
fire" and retained his position until
1902, when he was much affected by
the death of his daughter ana his own
III health In accepting his resignation,
President Roosevelt wrote:
ut has never been my goodfortune
to be associated with any public man
more single-minded in his devotion to
the public interest,"
In addition to directing the lazy
during the war with Spain, the official
acts of Secretary Long included the
placing of thousands Of navy employ
e>s under the civil service rules, and
the prohibition CT the sale CT beer on
naval vessels.
Former Governor.
John Davis Long was born in Buck
field. Me-, in 1898, the son of a pros
porous business man, but his own
predilection was for law, and politics.
Settled in Boston after his graduation
from Harvard, he served four terms
in the state legislature; was three
terms speaker of the house: was lieu
tenant-eovcrnor; and in 1879 defeated
General Ranjamin +. Butler, the DEM
ocratic candidate for governor, by /"
plurality of 1900. He was twice re
elected with large Dluralities, and sent
to congress for three terms. There
he formed warm personal regard for
Mckinley.
In 1884 he made a strong speech
nominating Senator George f. Ed
munds of Vermont for president IN
the Republican national convention
He was one of the most polished de-
bators in congress, his speeches being
noted for their literary excellence, and
a dry humor which made him popular
as an after dinner speaker. AT leisure
at his home in the quaint Old town OF
bingham. near Boston, he wrote
volume of poems and translated Vlr,
gils .Aeneid. He was a member OF
the American Academy of Arts ana
Sciences. A total abstalner trohl
early life, he was also for many years
president of the Massachusetts Total
Abstinence society.
Notwithstanding his national rroml'
ncnce as former secretary Of the navy,
among his New England friends ne
was af1iectionately known as "Gover'
nor" Long to the end of his life. ..