The evening times., 1899-02-28
Dewey and the Oregon.

Dewey and the Oregon.
The attempt of certain persons to "ex-
plain Dewey's call for the Oregon is a
thing which, were it not so absurd, might
have serious consequences. AS il is no
one will take the explanation seriously.
These would-be onniscient people have
been trying TO convince the public that
Dewey did not want the Oregon at ALL
that he had some sort OF unnecessary
scare, that he did not mean what ne said'
or some such foolishness. The American
people however, are quite well acquainted
with Dewey's character by this time, and
they know what he would be likely to do
in any sort of crisis, and what he would
be perfectly incapable of doing. 1t Will
be impossible to convince them that the
Admiral is a person likely to call for help
if attacked by cow or threatened with
thunderstorm. Such maidenly timidity is
not characteristic of him. 1t also appears
absurd to the people of this nation that
Dewey should send for the Oregon if he
wanted something else, or that there
should be any doubt in his mind as to the
precise words which he needed TO express
his meaning. When man is in command
of the Oriental squadron in the midst OF
possessions held by three or four other
nations, who are all watching with inter-
est to see what their neighbors are going
to do; when he knows that his actions are
of Importance to his country as well as to
himself, and that a slight misstep on his
part is likely to cause serious interna-
tional complications; when he must COM
municate with the head of his department
by cable and knows that the Secretary of
| the Navy has no personal knowledge OF
conditions on the other side OF the world,
he is not likely TO ask for what he wants
in any ambiguous or uncertain terms.
The situation is not one which calls for
word-puzzles and REFUSES.
| The inference of the people is, there
| fore. that if Dewey thought he ought tC
send a quick call for the Oregon to the
Navy Department he had some good rea'
son for the message; and moreover, there
| is every reason to suppose that he ex'
pressed himself in the clearest possible
manner. 1t is not his way to waste words
or TO misuse them. He has been distin
| guished no less for his clear-cut and sim
pie style of making reports and issuin!
orders than for his skill and fearlessnes
in battle. and 1t is unlikely that he woult
take just this opportunity to muddle hi
style and the ideas of the department AM
the country, all at the same time.
Some of the wise ones are trying t.
convince us that Dewey wanted the Ore
gon to be part of the escort of the Ameri
can Philippine Commission, SO as to ad
pomp and glory to their arrival; or tha
he intended it TO oyerawe the Filipinos
These ideas deserve a few minutes quie
and appreciative contemplation. Think @
il, Dewey, harassed by the attention
let us be mild OF an interfering Germa
Admiral, understanding fully the respon
sibility OF his position as guardian Of on
possessions in the Orient, deyotes his min
10 getting up naval parade so that th
Commissioners may present an impressiv
appearance! Or, perhaps, he intends thi
huge floating arsenal which cannot com
near enough TO shore to do any effectiy
service against the insurgents, to be use
as q sort OF moral OBJECT lesson lot III
benefit OF lot of naked savages, arme
with bows and arrows. By bringing yt
another warship from our shores to al
in the fight against Aguinaldo's troops.
hopes to convince them that we are stron
enough TO crush them without the lea!
. bit of trouble. How does that hypothes
sound? Does it appear worthy of tl
man who took the chances of the mines
Manila Bay; who steamed into that harbC
under cover of night, knowing that a sill
, gle false move might blow at least one
his ships into kingdom come? And Y,
there are persons who wish to convint
the American public that that is the res
son for Dewey's plain-spoken reques
How surprised the men on the Orego
would be if they knew it, Is there sir
gle jack tar on the ship who thinks
is going to help escort the Philippine Con
mission or anchor off shore and loo
fierce at the Filipinos? No; they kno
Admiral Dewey well enough to under
/ stand that he would not call them fro
Honolulu to Manila unless he had wo1
Tor them to do, and that in the near fl
ture.