The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-20
DEWEY CAUTIOUS.
He Has Not Committed the Govern
ment in Dealing with Insurgents.

WASHINGTON, July 19-It was stated
at the Navy Department to-day that no
dispatches had been received from Admiral
Dewey relating to the important events in
the Philippines described in the press
cablegrams. It. is evident, however, that
the officials do not now feel the same con-
Germ relative to the attitude of the German
naval forces at Manila they did when the
admirafs last dispatch was received. 1t is
not so stated officially. but there is good
reason to believe that either through AM
bassador White at Berlin or the representa-
tive of the German government here the
State Department has received some assur-
ances as to the attitude of Germany to-
wards the Philippines that have in large
measure removed the grave apprehension
heretofore entertained that Germany would
offer obstacles to the execution of our
plans. 1t is not known just what the nature
of these assurances is, and it may be that
they are based on some facts communicated
by Admiral Dewey as to the exchanges
and the German admiral in the Philippines,
for it is known that for polite reasons the
Navy Department withheld from the public
a large and important section of DeweYS
last cablegram received several days ago.
The reported negotiations between the
insurgent, Aguinaldo, and the Spanish cap
ported officially to our government. 1t is.
however, a matter of congratulation to the
officials here that in all the relations we
have had so far with the insurgents, Ad-
miral Dewey has carefully refraned from
committing the United States in any way,
and has never in the slightest degree, re-
Taxed the extreme caution he adopted orig
inally as his guiding principle in dealing
with the insurgents. Unsavory stories of
previous exhibitions of lack of integrity on
their part put the admiral on guard, and in
all his communications with this people he
has been extremely careful. 1t does not
follow from this that the government is
convinced that Aguinaldo is playing false.
There is no doubt that the prO-Spanish ele-
ment in the Philippines and Asia would lose
no opportunity to create that impression
with view to causing a breach between
the United States military and naval COM
manders and the insurgents, but the very
suggestion of the adoption by the insurgents
of the course attributed to them tends very
strongly to retard the preparation of plans
by the administration to govern the future
of the Philippines.
days Cabinet meeting one member remark
ing that an adjournment might have been
taken at the end of fifteen minutes so far
as the transaction of business was con-
was read. stating that there was no charge
in the situation there. 1t was the opinion
of the member of the Cabinet that the re-
port of strained relations between Admiral
Dewey and the German admiral were with
out any foundation in fact. This is indi
Gated by the fact that Admiral Dewey
dispatch was taken to Hong-Kong by
German war ship. Both the President and
Cabinet members that nothing of an ag-
gravating nature had occurred at Manila
between the American and German forces,
and their remarks gave rise to the belief
that the President has received fresh assur-
ances from Germany of her intention to ad-
here strictly to her policy of neutrality.