The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-02
A GERMAN EDITOR

The Philippine Question.
chicago Tlmes-Herald: Emil Won
schlelnitz. recently had an interview
with President Mckinley. to whom he
MAS introduced by Secretary Long. The
latter and Mr.. Won sehleInitz are per-
sonal friends since the last presidential
campaign. Secretary Long was present
during the conversation between the
President and the German editor. Mr..
Won schlelnitz says in his paper COM
corning the interview:
'The President, who seems to care
particularly to win the calmly and con-
seryatively judging German-Amerlcan
for his policy, requested me to speak
quite frankly. OF course, needed no
second invitation of the kind. and in
ten minutes the President knew exact
ly what the mass Of the German-Ainer-
lean voters think concerning expan-
sion. milltarism. &c. 1 told the Presl-
dent truthfully that the readers of the
germania, certainly % per cent, voted
three years ago for Mckinley and hon
est money. but that at present we have
every day letters from people who stood
up for the Republican ticket all their
lives, in which they come out in the
most decided manner against the for
eign policy Of the present admlnlstra-
ton. concluded my report, which was
received In silence by the President,
with the statement that. judging from
the attitude Of the Germauia readers,
and overwhelming majority of the Ger
man-Anericans Is against permanent
annexation OF the Philippines, know
quite well that I will meet with decided
opposition to this statement from one
or the other reader who thinks differ
emily about the expansion policy. but
what have submitted to the President
was nothing else than my personal
Impression, my own humble opinion.
For this he had asked me, and this I
gave him. I believe can take 1t for
granted that Mr.. Mckinley was dis
agreeably surprised about much OF
what / told him. have reason to be-
lleve that heretofore his information
concerning the movement among Ger
man-American voters has come from a
source which is not quite unObjection-
able.
Next began to speak about the re-
lations between Dewey and Diederlchs
and I told the President that the sensa-
tional reports from Manila had caused
the citizens Of German descent sore
troubles and that there was by no
means lack of people who feared at the
time that war between Germany and
the United States might result. The
President listened and said:
Nobody here thought Of war. One
Of the most fortunate achievements of
the Spanish war is that we to-day, de-
spite the most perplexing problems
which arise every day, and despite the
tremendous consequences of the entire
conflict. enjoy more friendly relations
to all foreign powers than ever before
was the case. can well assure you
that this Is a particular satisfaction TO
me. It was a time which tried the
nerves. Dewey and all Of us had to
sleep with our eyes open. II was a sit
uatlOn which might result In all imag-
Unable trouble. You don't know how
happy am that all went so well. The
misunderstanding which arose were
not based upon malicious intent, but
were a natural consequence OF the
whole extraordinary situation. And to-
day? Well. have already told you
that we are with all foreign nations on
a better footing than ever before
Exactly the same had been told me
previously by the secretary OF the
navy, who coincided perfectly with me
when / said to him that part Of the
Anglo-American press treated the
German emperor very un1uStly, be-
cause the United States had In all
Europe no warmer friend than William
II. The German emperor seems to me
to be q very excellent man, full OF en-
ergy and enterprise, remarked Mr..
Long, whereupon could not refrain
from saying that we could use people
OF just such callber only too well in
America.
II took heart and asked: Mr.. Presl-
dent, would 1t not be possible to let me
have a look at the official reports Of
Dewey about his relations to Dleder-
ichs? Turning to Mr.. Long the Presl-
dent said: please, Mr.. Secretary, will
you not assure Mr.. Won Schleinitz that
the admiral in none Of his reports has
ever mentioned this episode even with
q word Not a single word affirmed
the secretary, this Is the best proof
how unimpOrtant the whole matter APP
peared 10 him. Moreover, you know
that both men parted as the best
friends In the world Yes. that's It,
rejoined the President. You spoke a
moment ago OF the letter which Dewey
wrote to Diederichs. and in which he
remarked, among other things, that he
rejolced to be able to say that the
whole quarrel between them was only
newspaper talk. Don't you think that
this letter covers the whole case, and
that II is the best answer to your ques-
tion2' OF course, could not forbear to
bring at this tuncture the famous Cap
tain C0RhIaR with his laundering talk
TO the front. made the remark that In
Germany the first demand Of an officer
is that he Is above all and under all
circumstances gentleman, and that
he act as such In every situation. The
President looked at the secretary OF
the navy and the latter said with q
very energetic shake of his head: I
can only tell you that Captain Coghlan
got from me the sharpest letter which
was ever written In the navy depart
men, This ended the episode.
Then the President brought up the
Philippine question. He arose suddenly
and went to desk. from which he took
a roll Of paper, from which he began to
read. saw to my surprise that this
paper contained the secret instructions
sent by the President to the American
commissioners during the Paris peace