The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-09-29
ADMIRAL DEWEY TALKS
On the Situation in the
Philippines.
THE MEN BEHIND THE GUNS

HI OuG NAVY eek tuf1E Su8t DaCe
Hfm-He d Complete success
in EfHeciius an UndeTstandin: with
the FiIipinos-Has Not Much Opinion
of Aguinaido, who Is a FOOL In the
Hands of Smarter Men-He scouts the
| Presidential Idea.
! New York, September 2s.-The Even
ing Post prints the following interview
with Admiral Dewey:
They are a splendid lot," the ad-
mira1 said, speaking of his men, the
very pick, the finest in our navy, and
that means the best in the world. Be
fore l got to Manila the archbishop,
with whom l afterwards became very
Intimate, said that the American sail
ors were the scum of the earth, a bloo1-
thirsty lot of c~ut-throats, who would
destroy every thing in their path.
Later on, when 1 did get there" said
, the admiral with a knowing smila. 1.-THE
; archbishop came on board one a
while l had a battalion at drill. the
very same battalion that will parade In
New York. The archbishop went on
the bridge and watched them closely.
| knew he was admiring them, and |
said to him: Well, what do you THINK
of our American SaIorS?"
They are Splendid he said, / have
seen the men of most navies, but never
anything like these. They are magnii-
cent. l cannot understand it-such
splendid young fellows. How does Il
happen"
"sWell,' L replied, we look for the
best men, we come close to our men,
we treat them better than other coun-
tries do, and we pay them better
Then I called a man and said to him:
How much do you get a month?
He saluted and said: Eighty dol
lars, sir
The archbishop was astonished. You
know $50 would pay a whole ship load
of Spaniards. After that the archbishop
had a very great respect for us and
became very friendly. Here I have a
picture of General Luna, which was
given to me by the archbishop"
The admiral then sent an orderly for
the picture of the Philippine general
who was murdered by order Of Agui-
naIdo'' as he said. The picture was
that of a negro in a sort of military
uniform. On the back was an inscrip-
ton in Spanish to he archbishop of
Manila, Father Bernardino Nesalado.
1t was signed by Luna.
Admiral Dewey then said that Luna
was the best man the Filipinos had.
1T was a plot" he said, ito aSSaSsi-
late him. A crack swordsman was
NdcGU DIS Sc1llIy, lii WutI1 AOud up
peared he simply stabbed him. But
these fellows ALL" said the admiral,
are a queer lot. They were simply
servants and stable men, and Aguinai-
do was a junior clerk in the navy yard.
He is a pretty smart fellow. I know
him pretty we'll. In fact, we were great
friends. and are, for the matter of that,
but he has not the brains. There are
people behind him, some of them law
yers and able fellows, who make a tool
of Aguinadlo. Here, by the way, is a
cane which he presented to me-" and
the admiral produced a thick black
stick carved and resembling Irish bog
oak more than anything else.
"T Thought" said the armiral, that
tais thing in the Philippines would be
over long before this, as It should have
been. 1 can't imagine how they have
stood out until now Of course there
was the rainy season, and l suppose
little was done. One great trouble out
there has been that General Otis has
30 tried to do too much. L told him so.
He wants to be general, governor, judge
and everything else-tO have hold of all
the irons. No man can dc this. This
is the great trouble. It is 'enough for
a man to do one thing, to be n thing,
but when a man tries to do everything
and to be everything it is asy to i'm
agine the result.
9TH fight in the Philippines should
be easily ended. The people have been
SO badly treated for such a length Of
! time by the Spaniards that they are
d~istrustful. This is the great differ
ence in dealing with them. Where we
lave met them and they have been in
such contact with US as to learn that
we mean to treat them well; where they
have seen that we mean what we say,
I there IS no trouble. They will get from
under the influence Of Aguinaldo, or
rather those people who are behind
A~guinaldo, who, as I said before, is a
mere tool.
do I think the Fmipinos are fit for
self-government? Well, no; not just
now. They probably will be in a little
time. They are a very queer people
a very queer mixture. Many of them
are quite civilized and good people; but
I do not think they are fit for self-gov-
that, I must d at the same time that
it is my candid opinion that hey are
more fitted for it thai Tx Cubans; that
they are a better people than the Gu
bans in every way.
81 do wish, however, that the whole
business was settled, and I think that
after a little the Filipincs will axe
kindly to u.s."
NO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
1t was suggested TO the admiral tndl
the democratic slate had been settle5
with Admiral Dewty fo- the presidency
and General Wheeler for the vice-presi.
dency.
"Well, said the admiral, I'VE should
make a pretty mess of it General
Wheeler, of course, has had soma train
ing in the political school, but then he
is a West ointe 1 had forgottei that
He would want to run everything as he
would a. regiment, and, Of course
would make a splendid mess of it. You
cannot run a government as you would
a regiment"
"WeH admiral" suggested h re
porter, sit would not be such a change
from the ship Olympia to the ship OF
state"
Yes" said the admiral. 1T would be
a very great change. I Inn not a poll.
ticia1i, I am a sailor, my training has
been all that way. I am at home or
board my ship. I know my business
!, or at least should know it, and I DO no,
want to mix UP in the affair OF govern.
ment- I am perfectly satisfied 70 i've