Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-11-26
WOULD BE GOOD RADIANCE
sULU TREATY NOT POPULAR IN THE
UNITED STATES.
Dewey Breach of Promise Story Not
Generally Credited in Washing
ton, but 1t Ii Believed
Dewey Has Forfeited
Middle of Stage.

islands over to Holland upon certain condi-
tons mutually agreeable. The talk is that
the administration realizes it cannot con-
sistently hold them under the present trea-
ty with the sultan. The whole arrange
ment Is represented as one of military eX-
pediency and among the things forced upon
US as the result of the war, but the Sulu
treaty, on account of the conditions at
taching. has never been a popular propo
sition with the people. By transferring its
sovereignty or suzerainty to Holland, the
administration thinks it will dispose of a
problem that is bound to meet with bitter
opposition when the treaty is submitted
for ratification.
The proximity; of the Dutch islands to the
Sulu archipelago and the success which in
a general way has attended the colonial
administration of the Dutch government
in these waters, but beyond this, the nat
ural and unaffected neutrality of Holland
toward all the powers, are regarded as con-
ditions peculiarly favorable to some such
arrangement as outlined above.
1t is not unlikely, however, that back of
all this is very remarkable checker
board move of diplomacy in which the
skillful hand of Great Britain employing
the United States as a friendly ally is ap-
parent
Overtures have recently been male by
Queen Wilhemina and the Dutch govern
| ment to incorporate Holland in the Ger
| man empire as one of the Confederate
states. The immediate cause for these
overtures. as recent as the date of the
queens visit to Berlin about a month ago,
is the fear which Holland entertains of
Great Britain's policy of ruthless expan-
| sion, the attack ON the Dutch people of the
South African republics, and the danger of
| England's sudden absorption of the Dutch
| islands of Java, Sumatra, etc, in the East
| Indies.
Actuated by much fears Dutch states
men have come to regard the incorpora-
| ton of Holland with the German empire
| as measure of necessary protection; but
| this suspicion is not directed alone against
England. but to some extent against the
| United States as a power suddenly become
allied in interests at least with the British
policy in the East
England has practically forfeited her in
| fiuence with Holland, and her diplomacy
| in trying to thwart the Dutch-German
| compact would probably come to naught
while armed opposition would prove a
| dangerous game with Germany to deal
with. But the fears of Holland would per-
| haps be successfully allayed by bestowing
| upon her the suzerainty of the Sulu arch
| ipelago on the part of the United States,
with the direct and announced approval of
England. This would be a substantial evi-
| dence that neither of these powers harbors
| any ambitious designs against Dutch in
| terests in those waters, and perhaps foil
| proposed Incorporation of Holland with the
German empire.
| Englands interest in thwarting this in
| corporation Is too apparent to need expla-
nation
| With the great ports and coast line of
| Holland coming into the jurisdiction of the
German empire. together with her colonies
| England would, indeed, witness the re-
vival of the great Germanic sea-power
| which it cost her SO much blood and treas
| ure to reduce, marine power which. un-
like the Latin examples Of the Spanish
| vasion, would mean the appearance of a
1 European rival embodying all the ele-
| ments of her own sea craft and sailorship
/ to dispute her sovereignty of the seas
| If the United States took the position
outlined it would serve the threefold pur-
pose of reciprocating England's pro-Amer-
lean sympathy, helping Great Britain to
get rid of disagreeable nightmare, and at
the same time Kidding the administration
of further worry over the Sulu business.
The people of the national capital are
accustomed to sensationalism- 1t is bound
to be So Many things that are shop-taik
| here never reach the outside world. Many
uncommon occurrences never find express
sion in the press. But it may be seriously
doubted IL anything in many years has
shocked local sentiment in the same man.
ner as the announcement that Admiral
Dewey had transferred to his wife of a
month the magnificent old home with its
presented to him not more than thirty days
ago as an expression of their admiration.
Very few heroes in history have expe-
rienced in so bitter a degree the sudden
reversal of public esteem. On Monday
evening Deweys name and picture were
Missed at the Grand Opera house in this
city and it is safe to 2 say that IT, had tn, the
after the evening papers were out, he
would have been fnsulted. As 1t was an
urchin, on recognizing Dewey on Fifteenth
Il ctra of N
; him:
you've done it this time, Dewey
The gamin epitomized public sentiment
in that one, sentence as expressed In a
| dozen or more insulting communications In
. the Star from people who claim TO have
contributed to the home fund, and in va
. | rious way by 50 per cent of all classes
| To Offset the storm of indignation aroused
by the act, rc-transfer was made of the
property on Tuesday by Mrs. Dewey to
the admirars son by his first wife, and a
| statement appeared in Wednesdays paper
| that this was done in pursuance OF the
original plan to secure the property In the
name of the son against possible legal
complications arising after his father s
! death.
| This explanation will be accepted in q
1 spirit of charity by those who stiil preserve
a degree of admiration Tor the admiral
+ But it IS to be feared that the masses
will not be convinced so easily. On The
contrary, it is more likely as the matter
r appears from this viewpoint that Dewey
D has passed from the middle of the stage
( and has irreparably forfeited his claim
sl to the almost idolatrous regard in which
| he was held prior 10 his marriage
, 1t is difficult to assign an excuse Tor III:
: act Two very uncharitable reasons were
I | given. One was that Mrs Dewey INTENDED
e 10 make the property over to her church
as parsonage Of 81. Mathews The othe
}, was that the admiral feared breach o
q promise suit on the part of lady EN-
: | pIoyed as a clerk in one OF the depart
: | ments, and desired TO forestal any posi-
: | bility of levy on his home.
| pointed lady had poured her woes into th'
ear of the assistant secretary of war, th
| writer on Monday interviewed Mr. Meikle
. John as the alleged custodian of the secret
IL He simply laughed good aturedly at TIT
story. and declared that he had not beer
consulted either as lawyer or in tn
| capacity of assistant secretary of war ant
that he had positively no knowledge o
/ the alleged existence OF heart-brokel
e woman OF the sort described.
- This story is not now generally credited
THE other story is made to appear i'm
: nrobable from the fact that Mrs. Dewe.
s | is a parishioner of ST. Paul's church, whiel
e Is in another part of the city from ST
9 | Mathews and the rumor presumably orig
! mated because the Dewey home is only
q short distance from the latter church
+ A more reasonable view of the ease j
s. that the admiral simply misiudSed the sig
nificance of the transaction and withou
intending the slightest discourtesy towar
ths donors. OF to manifest any indifference
| to the patriotic sentiment that inspired til
q gift conveyed the property to his Wife a
m a token of his affection.
.1 But whatever may have been the motive
to the conclusion is Irresistible that the ad
Us miral has ceased to exist in the publ
1 mind as a second Bayard, a knight Will