The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-02-27
DEWEY's REQUEST.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
Exactly why Admiral Dewey wants the
Oregon to be sent to him at Manila does
not yet appear and there are many con-
lectures concerning It. lie says 1t is for
political reasons. That might mean any
of several things. 1t might have refer
ence to the effect to be produced upon
the FilipinUs or upon their aiders and
sympathizers ia the United States. 1t
might mean that some outside nation is
acting unpeasant1y and needs to be re-
strained by gree ter show of force. And
there are other interpretations that have
or that might be put upon IT. But amid
all the various comments and opinions
put forth concerning 1t there is absolute
unanimity upon one point. That is that II
Dewey wants the ship he ought to have
1t. There is absolute confidence in the
Judgment of the great admiral. No one
dreams of some theatrical posing, or is
on the point of committing an indiscre-
tion. What the American nation says un-
hesitatingly is substantially this: Dewey
says there is need of the oregon, there
fore there is need of the Oregon, and she
ought to be sent to him at once 1t is
difficult to say which is the more admir-
able. the unanimity and magnitude of
this tribute to him, or his full worthiness
of it.
There is another interesting feature
of the case, in which by happy lot, the
Oregon is a second time associated with u
great object lesson to this country The
famous voyage of the Oregon around the
continent impressed upon us as nothing
else could have done the need of canal
across the Central American isthmus The
present incident with equal force shows
the need of u telegraphic cable from
California to Hawaii, and thence to Guam
and the Philippines. When every days
delay may be a serious matter, 1t is de-
plorable that the Oregon must wait at
Honolulu until word can be got to her
commander by mail. 1t ought to have
been possible for orders to have reached
him from Washington within an hour
after the receipt there of Dewey's request
And it ought to be possible for the gov
ernment to carry on telegraphic Corre-
spondence with Dewey at Manila with
out having its dispatches traverse half a
dozen alien lands and be subject to the
scrutiny of and perhaps to delay at the
hands of those who at best are not con-
cerned In them, and who at worst might
make use of them to our disadvantage.
o.
We might we'll add a third feature to
the case, to wit. the desirability of push
ing the work Of naval construction with
out a days unnecessary delay. We have
no idea that our new warshlps will be
needed in battle this year or next. But
no man can foresee the future. Our fleet
on the Atlantic coast was none too power
full before the Oregon and the Iowa were
sent to the Pacific. And those two ships,
fine as they are, cannot be reckoned a
sufficient force for our permanent use in
that ocean. Whatever political reasons
require the presence of the oregon at
Manila, equally potent political reasons
demand the strengthening of our fleet in
the Atlantic and Pacific by the compile
| tion of the five great ships now in hand
at the earliest possible date. No man in
| congress would venture to dispute the
propriety of sending the Oregon to Dewey.
Neither should any dispute the propriety,
| and the imperative urgency, of finishing
| our new ships, and laying our Pacific
cable, and cutting the isthmian canal. For
all these things are implied in the ad-
| mirals message.