Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-08-30

CondiLtona IN tue AsbthuS HNhhustlNeiS
Reviewed by one VINO Has No Polit.
ical Bias and Convincing Statement
Made of the Reasons For the Ameri-
can People Going Forward with the
work of Establishing Peace.
New York, Aug. 26.-(Special Cor
respondence) )-Bishop ]. NJ Thoburn
of the Methodist church, one of the
leading evangelical missionaries of the
world is spending a few days in New
York before leaving for his diocese in
the Orient. At long intervals the bish-
op makes a visit to his old home in
Ohio. He has just spent a few weeks in
the Buckeye state. He was born in
eastern Ohio in 1886, went to India as
missionary in 1859, and was chosen
missionary bishop of India and Malay
sia in 1888. He has written a book en-
titled india and Malaysia" which is
an exhaustive study of the peoples and
languages of his immense diocese. He
has visited the Philippines a number of
times within the past Is years and has
devoted much time to study of the Fill
pinos. His last visit was made this
year, just previous to his return to
America.
Bishop Thoburn is a quiet, unobtru-
sive man, keen observer and scholar.
and broad in his religious views. The
Thoburn family is proud of its loyalty
to the flag. Colonel Joseph Thoburn,
brother of the bishop, was killed in
the civil war at the battle of Cedar
Creek while leading a division includ-
ing many Ohio men. His closest neigh
Dor in the battle was Colonel Ruther-
ford B. Hayes at the head of division
including the famous Twenty-third
Ohio. Bishop Thoburn's wife is from
Ross county.
Bishop Thcburn is intensely inter-
ested in the present controversy be-
tween the supporters of the policy of
President Mckinley and the so-called
anti-expansionists He has little pa
tience with the "aunties." His eye
kindles when he speaks of Old Glory
proudly yet kindly floating at Manila.
He knows what he is talking about,
and therefore the following statement
given especially to the people of his
native state on the eve of his journey
to the far east is of immense value to
all students of present conditions in
the Philippines:
In reply to an inquiry the bishop
said:
THE destruction of the Spanish fleet
in the harbor of Manila was a surp-
rise to the whole world, and our worst
enemies can not accuse our government
of having deliberately declared war
against Spain with a view to gaining
possession of the Philippine islands.
"Those islands were so far away and
had so long been under the close re-
straint of Spain that the world had for
many years ceased to give them any
attention, and when Admiral Dewey
left Hongkong for Manila no doubt he
did so for the sole and sufficient reason
that powerful Spanish feet lay there.
and that the Pacific coast of the United
States would be exposed to grave dan
ger, so long as that feet was afloat in
Pacific waters. This fact completely
answers the question so often asked:
why did the Americans go to Manil-
la?" Admiral Dewey would have been
fatally nnpliuaDt ff ha
go. 1t was his duty to protect the
American ports on the Pacific coast
and the surest and most effective way
Of doing this was to capture or destroy
the Spanish fleet This fleet CHANGED
to be lying in the Bay of Manila and
this fact alone directed Admiral Dew
sy's course to that port.
When this explanation is brought
forward, many objectors ask why the
admiral did not leave after accomplish
ing this purpose. Why did he not sail
away?'-to quote the exact words in
which the question is most frequently
asked. To this it has been replied
very pointedly that he had no sails.
and his vessels could not leave by the
aid Of the winds, nor could he steam
away, because he had not sufficient
coal to carry him across the Pacific.
If he had sought any friendly port on
the Chinese coast, he would only have
been permitted to remain in the har~
for for "a hours, and this time would
not have been sufficient for him to
lay in enough coal to carry his feet to
a Pacific port of the United States. II
the Americans at an earlier day had
taken the precaution to provide suit
BILE coaling stations for their navy, 1t
would have been possible for her fleet
to have sought shelter elsewhere, but
this duty had been wholly neglected.
eve are next asked why, if they
were Obliged to remain, the Americans
did not keep their vessels at anchor,
without disturbing the people OF Ma
nilla.
"A child ought to know that this
question is simply foolish. Some 20, 600
Spanish soldiers were present on the
shore and war had been declared be-
tween the American and Spanish ma
hons. No feet can lie quietly at peace