The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-27
The Outlook in the Philippines.

Rumors of impending complications
in the Philippines have reached Lon
don from Shanghai. We do not intend
to place too much reliance on the truth
Of these kilograms in discussing them.
They are incidents not unlikely to oc-
cur under given circumstances That
they have actually occurred is another
matter. News emanating from Shang-
hal may be set down as false unless
corroborated from other and independ-
ert sources. There seems, however, TO
be some warrant for crediting the re-
port that four Russian battleships
have left Port Arthur, presumably for
the Philippines when taken in con-
junction with the fact that General
ippines, telegraphed to his govern-
ment that grave events were impend-
ing. The japanese squadron in the
waters around the Philippine islands
have been augmented, it is believed. If
the Shanghai kilograms are not wilful
fabrications, with a view to cooperate
with the British and American admir-
ais. Russia has given us no intima-
tion directly or indirectly that she
was unfavorable to our operations in
the far east, The assurances made by
the Russian press from time to time
were in a contrary spirit. The only
deductions we can make from the ru-
mors, is that Germany is again at her
old game, and that she intends to
seize on one or other of the islands
in the Philippine archipelago. She
may have given some such intimation
to the EuroDean powers as to her in
tertions, with polite intimation to
them that they may follow her exam
pie. if they feel inclined to do so, but
that she is determined to obtain pos
session of a share of the islands in
any event.
1t will he remembered that this pol
icy exactly comedies with her action
in China. The powers hardly believed
that the Emperor William was serious
in his intentions until he car
ried them out to the letter in seiZing
Eaio-Chao bay and that port of the
Liao Tung peninsula that lay behind
il. The departure of a Russian squad
ron TO the Philippines is not at all
unlikely; nor can we look upon it's
arrival as hostile to our operations in
a formal sense. If Germany seizes q
position on the island without inter-
ference from Great Britain or Japan,
Fussia would probably do the same
and Dewey would be poweress to deal
with German and Russian naval
combination. Technically Germany
and Russia could claim that they were
not entering upon an act of agsres-
sion toward the United States. Spain
has not abrogated her sovereignty over
the islands nor have we occupied them.
The blockade of Manila does not con-
Russia and Germany could plausibly
maintain that what they took they
seized from Spain and not from us, IL
they wanted to justify their action by
the code of international law. We
would claim of course that we
were at war with Spain and
that the occupation of the Phil
ippnes was necessary strate-
getical movement IL 1t was moth
ing else, and that the seizure of any
part of the islands was o deliberate
act of enmity towards us. But we
>have not sufficient ships in the Philip
pines to make good our assertion il
Germany and Russia choose to ignore
it, as they undoubtedly would.
There is, however, one little difficulty
in the way of the Emperor Williams
plans. He woulG have undoubtedly
carried out the seizure 0f a coaling
station OF island in the Philippines or