The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-10-04
Dewey's Opinions.

In due time 1t will be officially known
what opinions Admiral Dewey has
formed of affairs in the Philip
pines, and what conclusions he has
reached as to the policy the United
States should adopt for the government
of the peoples of the islands. Mean
time, all published reports of such
opinions and judgments derived from
newspaper interviews are under the
ban of the Admiral's reputation, ut
tered on his arrival in the harbor of
New York, reputation which is, also,
a matter of newspaper report, only, and
thus wanting in the important element
of officiality.
There is, however, probably very lit
tie doubt among the great body of in
telligent Americans who have been
following with the right interest
what has happened in the Philippines
since we whipped the Spanish feet"
as to the Admiral's opinions and judg-
ments respecting those events, and
there is probably no doubt whatever
that he and the American people are
as entirely and firmly in accord on this
subject as they were shown to be on
another subject, in the city of New
York, last week. Nevertheless, until
the Admiral is authoritatively reported,
the newspapers which have been bark
ing at the heels of the administration
for the past twelve months will have
their opportunity to exploit their anti
imperialistic sentiments and sustain
them with the great name of Dewey.
Here, for example, from the Spring
field Republican, one of the most rabid
and indecent of anti-imperialist papers,
is statement that has been often pub
lished as if it were an admitted fact CT
history.
And, whatever reason there may be for
it, the majority OF Americans believe that
had the Admiral been given the power to
settle the relations between the United
States and the Philippines, there would
have been none of "this accursed war" In
his early treatment OF the native govern
ment, which was first proclaimed with his
tacit consent and approval. in his official
dispatches and in his reported opinions
there may be discerned the germ OF pol
icy very different from the one which es-
tranged the inhabitants OF the islands and
turned war for humanity into one of con-
quest
If there has been one man to whose
opinions the administration has defer
red, with the implicit obedience and
confidence it would yield to supreme
court mandate, that man has been Ad-
miral Dewey. Up to the time when
this "accursed war" began by the pre-
concerted and murderous attack of
Aguinaldo's forces upon the men who
were maintaining order, protecting life
and property in and around Manila,
and paving the way for the introduc.
ton into the islands of free and en-.
lightened government, Admiral Dewey
was the man on the ground foremost
in authority, influence, respect and
confidence. Was he over-ridden by the
government? Was he superseded al
Manila? Was his counsel not soughtf
Was the advice or opinion of some
other official preferred? Was there lacE
of harmony between the head of the
naval forces, who was also head of The
Philippine commission, and the mill
tary governor? Did Dewey forego t.
exercise all his inf hence with his asso-
ciates in command, and with Aguin
aldo-whom he was said to dominate
to avert war? Was there any reason
able want of understanding on the par