Show SAMS NAVY K the ability of the various members of the late administration may be ma matured aured by the success with which they managed departments all will agree that william 0 whitney elands head and shoulders above bis associates what the lamented manning might have done to distinguish he lived to complete his term cannot of course be surmised he was undoubtedly capable and perhaps stood higher in the aresi dents estimation than any other member of the official family of those who remained however none approached whitney in the display of executive ability quick basi noss methods and consequent personal popularity he had one great advantage in the outset over his colleagues his department part ment was miserably run down there was every inducement for the inauguration of reforms and every improvement no matter how trivial was sure to make a conspicuous showing in other respects also he had abundant encouragement congress was willing to appropriate generou ly and the experience exper ienco of the navy department part ment during the past four years has been a striking illustration of the scriptural that choso who ask shall receive bat the man himself developed a rare fitness tor hia position he began early to get at the root of abases be made a overhauling of what was by compliment called a navy and gave the whole leaky concern a thorough shaking up where repairs a ere practicable he had them promptly maje where additional vessels were needed he ordered them to be built in short what be could not resurrect he created and to him more than any other one man is due the credit of our present strength on the aea when he laid down his duties even his political enemies admitted that his successor must possess great ability if he did not suffer by the comparison which would be drawn secretary tracy was highly commended by lis friends but the calion at large knew him not As the first few weeks passed however bis countrymen began to get better acquainted with him he took a firm hold of iho business and showed as keen an eye for detail as anybody could desire work on the improved gun boats was pushed along prosperously aej the strict letter of the contracts haf been insisted oa while discretion and accuracy have marked all he outside workings of the department wise regulations are steadily correcting the evils within atie dispatches on thursday indicate some of tho measures calculated to reform tho and abero is activity discipline and improvement As americans we are getling to the point where we are not ashamed of our navy the next thing will be that other nations will hold it in high rc eject under eight years of euch thoroughgoing thorough going management as whitney cavo and and tracey is giving at least one branch of uncle sams business is certain to make good lead way TUB HEW flag with forty two atam etam will be thrown to abo breeze by the united states navy on july 4 |