Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-03-02
Applies for Protection.


is by punitive measures.
Applies for Protection.
The German government followed
its announcement to the state depart
ment Of purpose to order it's vessels
away from the Philippines with a
formal application to the United States
to undertake the protection of all the
Germans in the Philippines, not only
in person, but in property. This was
regarded as signal manifestation OF
confidence that the administration felt
could not be resisted and as practically
formal notice that the Germans have
no Interior purpose in the Philippines.
The president very promptly accepted
the trust, and there will be no German
ships either at Manila or lloilo to dis
turb the relations between the two
countries by forming the bases of sem
sational and false rumors.
1t is possible that by assuming this
responsibility the United States has
accepted liability for any damages that
may be sustained by the German resi-
dents and interest at Manila, but it is
probable that the application must
have been granted and responsibility
assumed anyhow, as it is believed that
Admiral Dewey and General Otis has
assured the German commander of the
Augusta of their ability to protect
every interest in Manila as reason
why German forces and marines
should not be landed. 1t is the official
opinion that whatever the responsible
ity for damages it will not be too large
for the benefits which will accrue. In
the first place there is no doubt that
the insurgents cherished the idea that
the Germans were favorable to their
cause, and this led to the hope that
they might actively intervene. Then,
too, this frank action on the part of
the German government itself is cal
culated to relieve the tension that was
beginning to manifest itself, not that
there was the slightest sign of this in
any of the official relations of the gov
ernments of the United States and Ger
many, but unguarded utterances in the
press of both countries, based on little
understood negotiations, were stead
lily tending to cause friction that might
in the end produce grave results. All
this, however, it is believed, may be ex-
pected to disappear now, and once it is
understood that the only issues be-
tween the two governments are rather
abstruse economical ones and do not in
any manner concern territory wanted
by either, no reason is seen why the
old friendship should not prevail.
Origin of the Move.
1t appears that the move originated
at Berlin, without suggestion from the
German authorities here, although the
German ambassador, DR.. Won Hole
ben, executed the directions forward
ed by cable from Berlin. The dis
patches arrived ut the German embas-
sy late Monday night, and the first
thing yesterday the Ambassador went
to the state department and laid the
communication before Secretary Hay.
A general conference ensued ON the
situation at Manila Mr.. Hay was not
prepared at the time to give an im-
mediate answer on the German re-
quest that German personal and prop
erty interests should pass under the
care of the United States military and
naval forces. After the ambassadors
departure, Mr.. Hay conferred with the
president, and it was as result of
this that the president announced his
purpose of assuming the protection of
German interests.
Berlin, March 1.-SpeaEing before
the budget committee of the reichstag,
Foreign Minister Buewell said in view
of the recent assaults on the Germans
in China:
1--WE do not intend to interfere in
the international affairs of China, but
duty compels us to protect lives and
property of Germans"
AS to the situation in Manila, he
said: I'VE hope our countrymen will
find full security under American.
rule"