Connecticut western news., 1899-09-28


 Not Now Capable of Self Govern
 ment-AdmiraI Doe. Not Want Pres identiaI Nomination.
 New York, Sept. 27.-Yesterday after. noon, sitting in his cabin on the Olympia, Admiral Dewey talked freely of his ex. periences in the Philippines, although he carefully refrained from expressing deh' nite views as to the course that ought to be pursued in the prosecution of the wal or as to any matter of administrative or political policy. When asked about the Philippine question, he said:
 ''i shall have to defer any expression of my opinions until l have reported to the administration. l shall go to Wash. ington on Tuesday of next week and shall remain there as long as the govern. ment may wish me to stay.
 'I have never had much to say about the Philippines, and I am not going to begin now. The people of this country, who have read the story of the war and of the events that have happened in the islands during the last year and a half, know as much about the matter as any man aboard ship. l have read every. thing that I could get hold of in connec- ton with the war ever since l left Ma. nila. At the time of my departure l thought the insurgents were on their last legs and said so. I did not think they could possibly hold out much longer, but they have got some supplies, and, be- sides, they are good soldiers, and their powers of endurance are wonderful"
 Superior to Cubsns.
 As to the capacity of the Filipinos to Al. sl~ I t1.
 ''I do not consider that they are as yet capable of self government, but they will be in a little time. They are a very queer people. Many of them are quite civiliz. ed, but I do not think they are fit for self government just yet. But must add that 1t is my opinion that they are better fitted for self government than the Cubans-that they are a better people than the Cubans-in every way. l wish that the whole business were settled. think that after little while the Fili- pinos will take kindly to us. The fight in the islands should be ended very soon. The Filipinos cannot long hold out against the army and navy"
 In speaking of the Filipino leaders, he said that Aguinaldo is merely the tool of abler men behind him, lawyers and skill ed politicians, who are able to handle him. He said that Aguinaldo was only a clerk in the navy yard at Manila be- fore he took up arms against Spain. Ac- cording to the admiral, the insurgents have lost their best man in General Luna.
 Luna was killed by Aguinaldo's or. ders while l was on my way home," he said. An expert swordsman, an orderly, was stationed at the tent, and as Luna attempted to pass him he stabbed the general and killed him. The ablest off, cer the insurgents have left, should say, Is Paterno. Aguinaldo Is q fgurehead and Is held at his true worth in Manila, where 1t is well known who are behind him. It is unquestionably true that there are great many able men in the ranks of the insurgents. Some of these are ed ucated and trained men-lawyers, poll. ticians, men of affairs. It Is these men who are the real movers and the real act. ors in the whole struggle. They have put Aguinaldo forward and control him.
 Friendly With ARuinaIdo.
 By the way" said the admiral, "Agui- naldo was quite friendly with me at first, before the insurgents began fighting us. As for that" he added, with a smile, i've are still friendly. I have fine cane that he gave to me in Manila. 1t Is of native wood and trimmed with gold"
 Referring later to the Filipinos, the ad. miral remarked that the chief difficulty in dealing with these people would be found in the fact that they are not sin- cere and honest. They have brains enough, he said, and, like all Malays, are capable of great amount of culture and mechanical and artistic training, but they seem to lack the indispensable virtue of honesty. He said they are wonderful imi- tators, like the Japanese, and are capable of being trained into excellent artisans.
 When speaking of General Luna, Ad- miral Dewey said he had picture of the general which had been given to the archbishop of Manila by Luna himself. with an inscription in the latter's hand.
 "That archbishop" said the admiral, with a smile, twas one of those who said that the Spanish fleet would send us to the bottom in short order. He afterward became q good friend of mine, and we often met and talked over the situation in the islands. One day he came aboard the Olympia, and, looking at some of my men, said that 1 must be proud of such fine crew and of having their respect and love. I told him that the crew of the Olympia was no better than the crews of the other AmerlChn huiDS-lhdl ati out ships were manned by the same fine set of hardy fellows. The archbishop was silent for moment and then said:
 Tribute From the Archbishop.
 "'Admiral, those men are not the scum of the earth. They are the pick of the earth. l have seen the crews of war ships of every nation, but l have never seen what is shown to me on this Amcri- can ship
 "I called one of the men to me and asked him how much money he received a month. He replied, Eighty dollars Now, that is as much, pretty near, as the entire crew of a Spanish ship gets. Why shouldn't we have the pick of the earthg'
 The admiral refused to discuss the plans of General Otis, but said that the rainy season, he supposed, had interfered very greatly with the progress of opera tions in the field. He thought that Gen eral Otis was trying to do too much and that he was not willing to superintend but must look after everything himself. He was trying to be governor general, commander in the field. civil judge and several other things at the same time. This work was too much for one man, and, in the adniral's opinion, it was tell