The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-09-28
THE ADMIRAL TALKS.
Gives His Views of AguinnldO and
, Thinks War should Soon BE Ended.

New York, Sept. 27.-The Evening
Post prints an interview with Admiral
Dewey. Speaking of Aguinaldo and his
generals, the admiral said:
"These fellows are a queer lot. They
were simply servants and stablemen, and
Aguinaldo was a junior clerk in the navy
yard. He is pretty smart fellow. know
him pretty well. In fact, we were great
friends and are, for the matter of fact, but
he has not the brains. There are people be-
hind him, some of them lawyers ana able
fellows who make tool of Aguinaldo.
thought that this thing in the Philippines
would be over long before this as it should
have been. l can't imagine how they have
stood out until now. OF course, there was
the rainy season, and | suppose little was
done. One great trouble out there mas
been that Gen. Otis has tried to do too
much l told him so. He wants to be gem
eral, governor, judge and everything else
TO have hold of all the irons. No man can
do this. This is the great trouble. IT is
enough for a man to do one thing, to be one
thing, but when a man tries to do every
thing and TO be everything it is easy TO I'M
agine the result.
The fight in the Philippines should be
easily ended. The people had been so badly
treated for such a length of time by the
Spaniards that they are distrustful. This
is the great difficulty in dealing with them.
Where we have met them and they have
been in such contact with us as 10 learn
that We mean to treat them well; where
they have seen that we mean what we say,
there is no trouble They stand by us all
the time. All of them VIII learn this in
time. They will get from under the in
fiuence of Aguinaldo, or rather those people
who are behind Aguinaldo, who, as | said
before. is mere tool
DO l think che Filipinos are fit for self
government? Well no; not just now. They
probably will be in a little time. They are
very queer people-a very queer mixture.
Many of them are quite civilized and good
people, but l do not think they are fit for
self-government just yet But when | say
that, | must add at the same time that il
Is my candid opinion that they are more
fitted for 1t than the Cubans; that they are
a better people than the CubanS in every
way | do wish, however, that the whole
business was settled, and think that after
little the Filipinos will take kindly to us. y
Ii was suggested to the admiral that the
democratic slate had been settled with Ad-
miral Dewey for the presidency and Gen.
Wheeler for the vice presidency.
We'll" said the admiral. I'VE should
make a pretty mess of it, Gen. Wheeler, of
course. has had some training in the po-
litical school. but then he is a West Point
er. l had forgotten that. He would want
70 run everything as he would a regiment
and, of course. would make "A splendid mess
of it, You cannot run government as you
would a regiment"
We'll, admiral" suggested the reporter,
sit would not be such a change from the
ship Olympia TO the ship of state"
Yes" said the admiral, 'it would be a
very great change. | am not politician.
l am sailor My training has been all that
way. ] am at home on board my ship.
know my business or at least should know
II, and L do not want TO mix up in the az
fairs of government | am perfectly salts
fed TO live and die simple sailor who tried
TO do his duty. l am not politician.
cannot make a speech even. l wish | could.
but have to be content with my lot