The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-27
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 81, 1899.
TWELVE PAGES.
Dewey's Welcome Home.

TT sent a thrill through the entire
country when the news was yester-
day flashed over the wires that the
hero of Manila bay had arrived in New
York harbor.
Admiral George Dewey is to-day in
disputably the first American citizen
His primary is granted him spontane-
ously from the warm hearts of seventy
five millions of his countrymen who
zee in him a magnificent type of ideal
American manhood. In the entire his
tory Of the country, there has not been
one single man who has won so COM
pletely the admiration of the whole
nation. 1t is doubtful if even the worlds
history can furnish a parallel to such
unanimous devotion. Washington, the
noble figure that overshadows every
other in the critical, early days of the
republic, was the target for bitter at
tack; Jefferson had foes who never for
got nor forgave; Jackson was as holly
hated by his political opponents
as he was loved by his party associates;
Lincoln had to face storm of the most
ecurrilous abuse and criticism, and
Grant faced charges which imbittered
his well earned success.
But to George Dewey the great heart
of this mighty republic goes out in love
and profound admiration that is akin
to idolatry. And not a. whisper of dis
sent, not a single note of discord is
there to be heard in this magnificent
chorus of praise.
1t is not SO much to the naval hero
whose brilliant dash and superb cour-
age defied torpedoes, sunken mines and
Spanish guns and wrote a victory on
the pages of American history which
will live while language endures: it is
not so much to the trained officer who
carried the victorious banner of the re-
public into unknown waters and made
possible the conquest of the island en-
pire; but it is to the man himself that
ehe admiration of this great country
goes out.
Dewey is the typical American. He
ts that wonderful combination of bril-
1iancy and caution, knowledge and
strength that makes the United
States the irresistible power it is. It
was sterling manhood that stood on the
bridge of the Olympia and di-
rected the battle which swept SPANS
fleet from the Pacific, but it was man
hood of yet finer strain that modestly
Geferred the credit of his victory to the
men under him.
The war did not make George Dewey.
Ut simply gave an opportunity for the
grand qualities of his character to be
seen by all. The man was there and
the opportunity made him known.
Dewey is almost the only one of those
who took prominent part in the Span
ish-American war to come out of it
with reputation untarnished. Mckinley
had frightful attack of wobbly back
. bone. Alger's record is a criminal
stencil in the nose of decency and Cor
bins is little better. Skaters incompe-
sency nearly lost Santiago. Miles was
SPONTANEOUSLY sidetracked. Schleys
great victory brought him no honor;
he is shelved on the South American
station. Sampson is the man who
missed the great opportunity of his
life. Roosevelt fought like a hero and
then wrote a book about it; his worst
enemy could ask no more. And poor
Otis, the bulletin writer of Manila, had
little reputation to begin with, but that
little has disappeared in view of his
bungling operations in the Philippines.
This record puts Dewey in a class by
himself as the man of no mistakes: the
pne great, brilliant figure of the war.
The people love Dewey for his level
head. He knows himself and neither
praise nor f1attery can turn him from
his purpose. There is probably no gift
within the power of the people which
he could not demand and receive, and
IN the first flush of his great victory 1t
was proposed that Dewey be made
president. He could have had it by
turning over his hand. 1t would have
been as easy as showing down on
royal flush. A simple yes" would
have made him the peoples chief exec
utive. But the ill-advised boom received
its quietus from the level headed adj