After McKinley was assassinated in September 1901 , Long had a change of heart , and tendered his resignation to President Roosevelt on May 1 , 1902 . The exact reasons for this are unclear , but several factors probably contributed . First , Roosevelt had a close relationship with Long 's political rival Lodge , was known to disagree with Long on naval matters , and was not welcoming of his presence at the White House . Second , an inquiry into the actions of Admiral Winfield Scott Schley around the July 1898 Battle of Santiago de Cuba had resulted in a significant amount of criticism of Long 's role in the war . Third , one of his daughters died in October 1901 , less than a month after McKinley 's assassination . These matters drove Long into a depression , and the situation was further exacerbated when Roosevelt squabbled with him over the beginning of the war , and then made newsworthy overrides of some of his decisions . Historian Wendell Garrett notes that Roosevelt took a great personal interest in the Navy , and had difficulty working with subsequent secretaries
McKinley was assassinated
Assassination of William McKinley
John Davis Long