Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-17
THE IRENE INCIDENT.

1t is said that Admiral Dewey would
not allow all the details Of the Irene In
cIdent" to be sent out from Manila, for
fear that they would be used to excite
friction between this country and Ger
| many. II this statement be true. It az
| fords another evidence OF Dewey's good
sense, and OF the fact that he is the right
man In the right place. Already there has
| developed justification for such a course.
On the known details there Is already be-
ing shown, both here and abroad, dis
position TO magnify the incident. the dis
! position in this direction abroad being
most manifest IN England. Here the
magnifying process Is largely the work
| Of sensation mongers, and is INDUCED in.
ton. We are inclined 10 this charitable
construction because we cannot think that
any American paper. no matter how vlgor-
ously It may be working the incident 'for
all 1t is WORTH" really desires trouble
with our German friends. However, for
the inspiration Of British attempts to
raise the incident to position Of first
magnitude, that threatens serious future
complications, 1t might be well TO look
deeper.
While we do not doubt the sincerity OF
British professions Of friendship for 10
in our war with Spain 1t raight be well
TO remember that Great Britain always
has an eye TO the main chance. and looks
far ahead. Germany has recently entered
the lists in competition for trade and
prestige in the far East, and Of late years
her trade with this country has been
steadily growing. AT present no one can
foresee how the Philippines question will
be settled, but whatever the basis of set
Element is TO be, 1t is more than possible
1t would be TO Great Britains advantage
that Germany and this country should
be at odds when the settlement does
come.
This apart, however, and admitting that
the incident has not been unduly magni- |
fed, we see no reason as yet TO get ex-
cited over it. a piece of of1ieiousness 1t |
undoubtedly was, but naval officers have |
before this been guilty OF offences and |
high-handed proceedings without setting |
the nations in interest at each others
throats. Assuming that, as claimed the
Irene's performance was "feeler." 1t ac-
complished its purpose in a manner that
is not likely to conduce to a. repetition
of the experiment, and unless it can be
proved that it was directed from
or sanctioned at Berlin, it is prob
able that the incident will close
without much further ado. More
over. even should the responsibility for
the interference rest with the German
it is not certain that inter-
law has been violated.
In any event, whether the incident rep
resents an individual act-a case of like
master like manor government 'feeler,"
Germany has been warned in no unmis-
taxable way that thus far she can go,
and no farther. And we believe she will
heed the warning. We believe she will
heed it because, as our Ambassador 10
Germany said, in his speech at Leipsic
On the 4th of July, the large majority Of
the conservative thinking Germans are
friendly TO us. We believe she will heed
{ because TO violate her neutrality would
% 10 dscredit herself in the eyes Of the
,ther great Powers of Europe Most OF
ILL., we believe he will heed 1t because,
With all his shortcomings, Emperor Will
lam is not unmindful of Germany's COM
nercial and industrial interests, and is
wise enough to understand that a clash
,etween this country and the empire
would play into the hands of Great Bril-
ain, which is Germany's greatest Euro
ean competitor in the markets of the
world. Hence we say that from any
tandpoint we view the matter. we are
Justified in keeping cool and in antago-
izing the apprehension that it is going
0 lead to- grave complications.