Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-05-12
AMONG OUR EXCHANGES.
Hold tho philippines.

Hold tho philippines !
Now That the Philippines arc or
will be territory of the United States
tho question is being discussed what
shall we do with themf
There is one thing that wo will not
do and that is return them to Spain.
Tie theory of the founders of our
government was that we should -iavo
as little to do with the quarrels ard
troubles of another nation as ssi.
BILE; we should not interfere with
them, neither should they with us.
But timos are changed and we are
no longer the isolated nation we once
were. 1t has become necessary for
us to have coaling stations in various
parts of the world, for we may need
one when we least expect it. For
instance no one suspected in recent
years that q United States fleet
would be engaged in combat with
European power in the Philippines.
In that part of the worlp our ships
might be absolutely at the mercy of
European power in time of war un-
less they could be supplied with
coal our nearest homo port being
thousand of miles away. This is a
splendid opportunity to secure what
the country has so long needed, and
we should keep them for that pur-
pose if for no other.
OF course there would be difficult
ties in the government of such a pop
ulation and it might cost a considera-
bic sum, but that would be out
weighed by the advantages to be de-
rived from their possession when we
really needed them.
We believe this country has enough
territory already and should not seek
to 60 into land grabbing for the sake
of gain or colonization, but in our
commercial relations we are liable at
any time to come into complications
with other great nations and VIC
shou' d have safe harbors and coaling
stations where we can best strike
them.-Columbia Register.
1t Was Dewey's Victory.
1t was Commodore Dewey's own
victory, and to him must go the glory
of the triumph at tho Philippine
Islands. 1t is safe to say that no
board of strategy-certainly not the
one that has directed the peaceful
blockade of uavana-would have
directed Commodore Dewey to sail
his squadron under the guns of the
enemy, past their land Notifications
guarding Manila, straight into the
harbor, where he was literally sur
rounded by the fleet and fortifca-
tions of the Spaniards. The entrance
to Manila harbor was guarded by
submarine mines and coast defcnccs,
and the Spaniards looked u~on it as
impossible for the American squad
ron to come up to Manila, even if
they should survive the engagement
with the Spanish fleet at sea. 1t
was reported that the Spanish fleet
would meet the American squadron
on the high seas, and in true Spanish
boastfulness it was declared they
would wipe the American pigs off
the sea.
When Commodore Dewey reached
the Philippines he did not wait for
Washington to give him orders what
to do. He was far enough from home
to take the matter in his own hands
and fight the battle in his own way.
Nothing could have been more auda-
cious than the entrance by Dcwcy's
squadron within the harbor at Ma
nllla to engage the Spanish war
ships in their stronghold under pro-
lection of the big guns on the coast
Notifications. When one considers
all tho circumstances, the fight as
made by Dcwey's squadron was
courageous to the point of reckless
ness. That it turned out as it did
was due to superior scamanship and
craftsmanship rather than to superior
equipment, for with the protecting
guns On the land, added to the Span
ish fleet, it was equally well equipped.
Macy thousand miles away from
home, surrounded by the guns of the
enemy on sea and land, Commodore
DewoS US sailors fought with the nerve
Of me IN who were fighting for life.
Had obey not carried the day they
would never have gotten out of
Mani'Ba bay alive. The Spaniards
wouldy have shown no quarter. Wcy-
icr's dsUrociJies in Cuba would have
been eSuual]ed or Outdnnc and Il ,,;aa