The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-08
DEWEY CRITICIsED.


Mr.. Bryan could hardly have meant what
/ he was reported to have said in his speech
/ at Canton, H., on Friday. as to the course
Admiral Dewey should have pursued after
/ his splendid victory in Manila bay. Accord
| ing TO the report Mr.. Bryan said that he
wanted the Filipinos treated as il is pro
| posed to treat the Cubans. lie declared
/ that instead of doing what was being done
/ in the Philippines. it would have been bet
ter for Admiral Dewey. after destroying
! the Spanish feet to have left for home.
/ Mr.. Bryan must be well acquainted with
/ the conditions that existed in the American
| squadron after the Manila bay victory.
| There was only one of the ships Of the
| squadron that had enough coal to carry
her TO san Francisco, and that was the
/ Boston. The others could not have left
Manila bay for home If Admiral Dewey
had wanted them to. And the squadron
could not nave gone to any nearby port
| for coaling purposes, because, neutrality
having been declared all OF the ports had
been closed to American warshIps. There
fore Admiral Dewey had to remain in Ma
Mia bay until supplies of coal reached him,
or until he could get a supply at Manila.
A supply could not be obtained at Manila
until the Spaniards were driven out
Admiral Dewey was compelled to remain
in Manila bay. But suppose 1t had been
possible for him TO get away and he had
done what Mr.. Bryan thinks he ought 10
have done in what respect would the Fiji
pinos been benefited? Spain would have re
manned in control Of the islands, and II
she found she could not maintain order Ia
them she would have sold them to some
one of the European nations, just as she
| sold the Caroline Islands 10 Germany. The
| Fnpinos would have been far worse off
than they are now. Under American rule
they at least have assurance of being re-
lieved of the greater portion of the bur-
denss which Spain imposed upon them.
Mr.. Bryan wants the Filipinos treated as
cur government has promised TO treat the
| Cubans. 1t would be the wiser plan, so
| far as this country is concerned, to treat
them that way, but it is greatly to be
doubted If that sort of treatment would be
better than American rule for the Fdliplnos.
| We are not prepared to believe that It
would. Under American rule the F'ilpinos
will have a stable government. They will
have all the liberty that citizens of this
country have, and that is as much as they
could reasonably desire-as much at least
as would be good for them-and they will
! have much lighter burdens than if they
had self government. Under a government
of their own they would have frequent
revolutions and burdensome taxes. II is
doubtful if it would be possible for one
government 10 control all of the islands.
There would be probably dozen govern
ments. and they would be a war with each
| other pretty much all the time.
| We have no hesitation in saying that 40
far as the Filipinos are concerned, and the
Cubans. too, for that matter it will be
very much better for them to be under
American domination-at least until they
are fitted for self-government, but for this
country IL would be better that the Filpl-
nos and the Cubans should have
control of their own affairs To hold
the Philippines as a permanent posses
sion would expose the American people
to the danger of miltarism and imperial
ism, which mean the introduction of a vast
amount of corruption into their national
life, an increase In the burdens of taxa
ton and a decrease of individual liberty
Mr.. Bryan seems TO be too much concern
ed about the welfare of the Fflipinos The
fact that Admiral Dewey could not get
away from Manila bay Immediately after
his victory viii prove ultimately to have
been good thing Cor them, but a bad
! thing for this country.
|