The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-30
A SITUATION WE COULD NOT
CONTROL.

CONTROL.
Judge Day is reported as saying, after the
final acceptance of the American terms by
the Spanish peace commissioners, 1--WE have
done the only thing possible regarding the
Philippines Our opportunity of giving them
up was lost when Admiral Dewey did not
weigh anchor and sail away" This shows
d keen appreciation of the situation and
comes near expressing the whole truth in
few words. No doubt large majority of
the American people sincerely regret the
Philippines complication and wish that we
had never been drawn into it. Very often
during the last few weeks one has heard
the wish expressed that Admiral Dewey
after sinking the Spanish fleet in Manila
harbor, had sailed away. He could have
done it at the time, not only without dis
honor, but with positive ecIat, if his orders
had permitted. Such a movement on his
part would rather have enhanced the bold
ness and brilliancy of his exploit and would
have furnished an easy and complete solu-
ton of a problem which has grown more
and more complicated every hour since He
captured coal enough at Cavite or in Span
ish barges to have coaled his ships all the
way to San Francisco, and could easily
have made that port in safety. But he had
no orders to leave Manila bay, and to have
done SO without orders would have sub
jected him to censure, and, perhaps, to
naval court-martial. On the 9Th of May,
eight days after the battle Of Manila bay.
the President sent d special message to
49,. s..
On the oath of April / directed the secre-
tary of the navy to telegraph orders to
Commodore George Dewey, Of the United
States navy, commanding the Asiatic
squadron, then lying in the port of Hong
Kong to proceed forthwith TO the Philip
pine islands, there to commence operations
and engage the assembled Spanish fleet
Secretary Longs order was sent from
Washington on April "a, to Dewey, at
Hong Kong. 1t was as follows:
War has commenced between the United
States and Spain. Proceed at once to Phil
ippine islands. Commence operations at
once, particularly against the Spanish fleet.
You must capture vessels or destroy them.
Use utmost endeaVor.
This shows there was no thought at that
time of taking possession of the Philippines
or even of capturing Manila. The objective
point Of the movement was the capture or
destruction of the Spanish ships, and be-
yond this Dewey had no orders. Under
these orders he would not have been justi-
fled in sailing away from Manila, but he
was justified in remaining there to gather
the fruits of his victory and III doing what
ever was necessary to fortify his position
and secure the safety of his ships.
The administration approved Of everything
he did. and the country was wild with en-
thusiasm and delight over his victory. Thus
one step followed another, and before we
knew it, and without intending or foresee-
ing such a result, we were committed to
the policy of holding the Philippines, if for
no other purpose than to weaken the enemy
and force him to terms. This policy was
scarcely defined before it became apparent
that the United States could never relin-
quish the Philippines and return the islands
and people to Spanish rule without dishonor
and disgrace before the world. And SO the
situation developed by degrees, every ave-
nue. of honorable retreat closing UP, until
it became apparent that the only honorable
course for the United States was to take
and hold the Philippines. The time to have
avoided the necessity for this action was
in the original orders to Admiral Dewey,
but nobody could possibly have foreseen
what would happen at Manila or what COM
plications might arise from his remaining
there after his victory. History is full of
instances of great policies being decided or
great events precipitated by unexpected UNI
foreseen and sometimes trivial occurrences,
and, while it is true, as Judge Day says,
that our opportunity of giving UP the Phil
fppines was lost when Admiral Dewey
failed to sail away as soon as possible after
destroying the Spanish fleet, the final out
come may show that it was fortunate he
did not do SO. There Is a divinity that
shapes our ends" and the same Providence
that ordered Deweys remaining at Manila
and our complication with the Philippines
until we could not let go of them, may
make it inure to the progress of civilization
and the benefit of mankind. The situation
was one we could not control, but which we
had to meet