The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-10

ItCtlNtu tp-udt VI ~
sion of the city by Commodore Dewey
and the raising of the American nag
upon the custom house have raised an
other question entirely distinct from
the purely military or naval features
of the conquest. II Is n question which
lawyers are discussing and one of the
most eminent: of New York judges as
serted this morning that IL might ne
the most important Of all the questions
to answer which this contest has or
will raise.
IL is said by awyers familiar with
international law that the raising or
the American flag upon the custom
house and the defenses OF Manila un-
questionably established the sovereign
ty of the United States there. for the
time being at least. That Is n of the
hes; recognized rules of warfare and Is
admitted by the codes of all nations.
But with the American sovereignty
established there. and permanently. at
least, so far as Spain is concerned,
what IL to be the course of the admin
istration, what the feeling of the peo-
ple in regard to this unexpected pos
session? One journal here insists that
the United States maintain Its sover-
eignty there. partly because 1t Is Justi-
fled in so doing. having honorably and
fairly conquered these colonies. and
partly because our rapidly increasing
commercial relations with China and
japan make the possession OF these
islands If great advantage to the Unit
ed States. Il.
That. however. does not seem to be
an opinion which Is accepted here as
worth following. On the contrary, 1t
has been pointed out by more than n
lawyer who Is a student of history and
of International law as well that
of the great dangers of the United
States. perhaps the chief one. likely TO
be created by the war, will be the de-
velopment of the spirit of conquest and
of national ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
The best thinkers are of the opinion
tina such a spirit would create the
gravest dangers for a republic like ours,
But IL the United States deems Ii un-
wise to hold these islands, what. then.
Is she going TO do with them? No n
seems able to suggest an answer TO
that question.
Every one believes that We ought to
maintain at Manila or at SONS other
port on the island a permanent coaling
station, and that IL is thought is all
that the United States. bearing lis own
future in mind, ought to do. But II is
not expected that we viii return 10
Spain the sovereignty of the island UNI
less i'm exchange for an indemnity Tor
the expenses Of the war.
The impression Is general here that
Japan would be very glad to secure
sovereignty i'm these islands. which are
but a continuation of her W empire,
a natural one since Formosa became a
Japanese colony. 1t is not doubted that
Great Britain would be very glad to
get possession OF these islands, and
would pay the United States for them
a sum sufficient in part TO defray the
expenses which the war has involved.
and il must be said that IL there is any
opinion which is generally supported IT
is that an arrangement of that kind
with Great Britain would furnish the
most satisfactory solution of the prob
lem.
One influential newspaper advocates
such a disposition of the Philippine ISL
ands. Europe might object. but that
is an objection which Great Britain
alone would be compelled to meet. III
she wanted the islands and had an OPP
portunity to get them she probably
would not pay much heed to the OBJ
lection of the powers
Commodore Dewey had many friends
In this city. and 1t is for that reason
that so many persons know of him as a
man of ~singularly gentle disposition,
modest manne ~unassuming. undem-
o~nstrative. not at all the kind OF man
which the popular ideal OF a sreal
fighter suggests, but after all exactly
the kind of man that makes the great
est OF lighters.
Ambassador Hay i'm a few words in
the dispatches this morning reported
expresses the thought of many who
! nave met commodore btNty, Ahdt II 10
almost inconceivable to associate with
the daring. strategy and maneuvering,
as well as cyclonic fighting. which
characterized the battle of Sunday. the
gentle. quiet man which Commodore
Dewey il.
A subordinate in one of the %inancia
Institutions of this city said this morn
ing that all of those who had served
with Dewey. as Admira Sampson. Ad.
miral Brown. Captain Chadwick ano
others who have become conspicuous
have done. knew that no better selec
ton could have been made for the com
mand of that daring and almost des'
perate attack han that OF Dewey.
Il was with Commodore Dewey wher
he was the executive officer OF the Col
orado." said this a and / remem
Der one incident which shows the man
ner of man he is. We had a fine crew
some OF them as powerful men as l eve
saw. Four or five of them went ashor'
one day and came back lighting drunk
Three of them were men who would
singly have been more tina a mattel
in strength for John l.. sullivan. Th'
order was given to put them in irons
and il was found impossible to carr,
out the order. for the men were dan
r gerous. Dewey was notified of the sit
uation. He was writing a letter in hi
room at the time.
, He went to the place where thes
. SldntS NtIt III it otu Y ~ ''i'
out and submit to the irons. They di'
r not stir. Then Dewey said quietly Z
an orderly: Bring me my revolvers,
and when he had his pistols he again
| called upon the men To come GU an
, they did not move. Then he said:
am going to count three. il you ar
1 not out here with FOUR hands held u
on the third count you Won't come on
of that place alive
He counted one. then he cooked tn
revolvers. and he unit tive. We a
: expected to hear the report for W
I knew that Dewey meant what he sait
. The men knew IL, too. They .steppe
: out just in time to save their lives an
held up their hands. and they had bee
= partially sobered by their fright an
/ the moral effect of Dewey's glance.
= zone of them said afterward ths
q when he saw Dewey's eyes he kne'
. that he would either be a dead JACKIE
I'm a moment or he would nave to yiel'