Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1898-05-04
WILL HOLD ON
Administration Has No Intention
Of Relinquishing the Philip
pine Islands
Pending q Settlement of the
War--Will Await Word
From Dewey
Before Deciding Upon Sending
Troops for the Purpose of
Administering Them.

WASHINGTON, May 4.-The cabinet
meeting resulted in q decision to await
a report from Commodore Dewey and
then to send him the number of troops
he deems necessary to enforce our con-
troll of the PHILIPPINES. The whole ses-
sion was consumed in a genera dis
Cussion of past events. The admins
tration has practically decided to occua
by the Philippines with strong mill
tary force as soon as possible after
Commodore DeWey's report, whlch is
expected tomorrow, has been received.
For this purpose Pacific slope troops
will be used, and it is expected that at
least 5, 900 will be enroute within the
next ten days. There does not seem to
be any doubt as to the governments
purpose to hold these islands pending
the final settlement with Spain,
when they will be used
as collateral to secure
the payment to the United States Of a
war Indemnity. High officials are OF
the opinion that none of the powers
will dispute our right to make such
final disposition Of the islands as suits
our purpose in the enforcement of war
claims against Spain, and il any event
this government will be prepared to
contest any point which may be raised
on this score.
To Send Supplies to Dewey.
AS indicated in Secretary Longs re-
quest for an emergency appropriation,
the government will take steps at once
to supply Commodore Dewey's feet
with provisions and other supplies, in
Guiding ammunition and coal, and to
this end will dispatch at the earliest
possible moment a sufficient number of
ships to supply amply all possible needs
of the Asiatic squadron. These sup
plies will be forwarded at once without
waiting a decision of the question as to
whether or not the troops shall be sent
out to relieve the commodore and the
necessity of policing Manila with men
from his feet. One ship has been Sc.
cured already as collier. It is to be
a much feeter vessel than those usually
SO employed, butit will take her about
three weeks to reach the island, and
she will sop en- route at Honolulu to
replenish her coal supply from the
large accumulation held there by Ad-
miral Miller, in order that the ship
shall arrive at the Philippines with p
full cargo It may be that the depart. |
rnent in case of further need will try to |
secure more coal for the American |
Philippine feet from a nearer and
cheaper source than California. It is |
believed that there is nothing in the |
neutrality laws of most nations that
prevents merchant from shipping coal
TO a belligerent power though a
warship of such belligerent is
restricted from taking on such coal in |
the neutral port. Of course the mer-
chant would make the shipment at his
own risk. The coal probably would be
held to be contraband by the Spaniards.
But as matters stand after the Manila
victory, there is no Spanish naval force |
lett III eastern waters to seize such O |
ship so that it would be ample to CON-
pensate the merchant for the small |
risk in shipping coal to the American
feet at the Philippines. It is said at
the navy department that plenty of
superior coal can be secured in this
manner in the Asiatic ports at an aver
age price of $40 per ton, while a very
HI rE, CTro6n oNo1 Io 1,ol ~, |
quantities from New South Wales at
low figures.
Will Start a Steamer at Once.
However, the navy department will
not rely upon any outside source of
supply for the first shipment, but will
start one steamer at once from San
Francisco as soon as she can be loaded.
Although without confirmation from
any official source, the naval officials
are disposed to attach some credit to
the statement coming from Paris that
at the last accounts from Manila the
American fleet was firing on Corregi-
dor island. This islandS lies in the
outer entrance to the harbor of Manila,
and is about 25 miles below the city.
1t is crowned by light house and has
modern guns in position, While not
serious menace to the American feet
so long as the latter lies far above in
the vicinity of the city, the existence
OF fort at a place commanding his
line of communication, could not be
tolerated by the commodore, for it
would endanger any unarmored ship
seeking to reach the fleet, and in a
measure would prevent supplies from
coming in.
PRAISE FOR DEWEY.