Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-09-28
law York evening Post, sepr. pe,n.

On the deck of the Olympia, as an
Evening Post reporter approached her,
early this morning, everything was
spick and span, as becomes war ship.
The vessel swung to her anchor as the
reporter boarded the flagship.
As Admiral Dewey stood ON the deck
Of his ship this morning, talkir over
his voyage, his cordial manner put
everybody at ease. His eyen were as
sharp as those of the eagle, and there
was certain sternness about his
features, but above and through it
there was an air of genteness, a kindly
light from those piercing eyes, and
smile ripping away from that mobile
mouth which made one feel at home
instantly in his presence and think of
George Dewey, not as the stern fighter,
the strict disciplinarian, but rather az
the father and the friend. And as a
father and friend his 574 men look upon
him, and proud as they are of him,
more proud still is he of his gallant
tars
"They are a splendid lot of fellows"
said the admiral, speaking of his men,
while he stroked the reddish brown
haired Chow Chow dog, his pct, sort
Of cross between a collie and pure
bred fox. "They are splendid lot, !"
he repeated, the very pick of men,
the finest in our navy, and that means
the best in the world. Before / got to
Manila, the archbishop with whom |
afterwards became very intimate, said
that the American sailors were the
scum of the earth, bloodthirsty lot of
cutthroats, who would destroy every.
thing in their path.
Later on, when did get there, said
the admiral with knowing smile,
1.-THE archbishop came on board one
day while had a battalion at drill,
tho 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 be said, Il
have seen the men Of most navies, but
never anything like these. They are
magnificent; / cannot understand it
such splendid young fellows. How
does it happenY'
Well, said the admiral, we look
Tor the best men, we come closer to our
men, We treat them better than other
countries do, and we pay them better.
"'Then called man and said to
him, How much do you get month";
He saluted and said, Eighty dollars,
sir. The archbishop WAS astonished.
You know $50 would pay whole ship
load of Spaniards. After that the
archbishop had very great respect for
US and became very friendly. Here l
have picture of Gen. Luna, which
was given me by the archbishop. !"
The admiral then sent an orderly for
the picture of the Philippine general
who was murdered by order Of Aguin-
aldo" as he said. The picture was
that of negro in sort of military
uniform. On the back was an inscrip-
ton in Spanish to the archbishop OF
Manila, FIR. Bernardino Nesalado. 1t
was signed by Luna. Admiral Dewey
then said that Luna was the best man
the Filipinos had. sit was plot" he
said, ito assassinate him. A crack
sTordsman was placed as sentry, and
when Luna appeared he simply stabbed
him.. y But these fellows all, p" said
the admiral, .'are queer lot. They
were simply servants and stablemen,
and Aguinaldo was u junior clerk in
the navy yard. He is pretty smart
fellow. | knew 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 lawyers and able fellows,
who make a tool of Aguinaldo. Here,
by the way, is cane which he pre-
sented me with and the admiral
produced thick black stick carved
Tai
than anything else.
81 thought" said the admiral,
that this thing in the Philippines
would be over long before this. as Ii
should have been. l can't imagine
how they have stood out till now. OF
course, there was the rainy season.
and suppose little Was done. One
great trouble out there has been Gen.
otls has tried to do too much ! told
dlm SO. He wants to be general. gov
s,rnor,. Judge and everything else, to
have hold of all the irons. No man can
DO this. This is the great trouble. 1t
u enough for man to do one thing,
TO DO one thing, and when man tries
70 DO everything and to be everything
tls easy to imagine the result.
The fight in the Philippines should
De easily ended. The people had been
10 oaaly treated for such length OF
Tine by the Spaniards that they are
alslrustful. This is the great difficulty
IN aeallne with them. Where we have
a met them and they have been IN such
contact with us so as to learn that We
mean to treat them we'll; where they
nave seen that we mean what we say,
mere Is no trouble. They stand by us
ai mo time. All of them will learn
ms IN time. They will get from undei
tlo influence Of Aguinaldo, or rathel
those people who are hehind Aouin