New-York tribune., 1899-01-15
GERMANY AND THE PHILIPPINES.

prr,ors of German interference in the Philip
pines are again extant. 1t is said the insurgents
ore being encouraged to resist American occupa-
ton and control Of the islands, with promises OF
German aid. The aid will take the form Oh
money and arms, and in return for 1t Germany
will receive coalng station and commercial
privileges in the archipelago. Indeed, II is said
sctual aid Of material kind has already been
given. and that no less a parsonage than the
German Emperor's brother Is at the head OF
these anti-American intrigues. Such are the ru-
mors. They are not altogether unnatural Tor, 10
sneak plainly some German acts in that part OF
the world have hitherto been such as to arouse
euspcions concerning German policy there IN
general. Perhaps such suspicious are unde-
served If so that Is Germanys misfortune
not Americas fault. But these latest rumors
are TO be taken with extreme reserve, ana are 10
be regarded, unless unmistakably connrmed as
incredible At present we do not expect them
10 be thus confirmed. but rather that the deniai
Of them. which has already been made, VIII
be confirmed.
II IS not conceivable that the German EN-
peror has instructed his brother to pursue any
sucb course That monarch does not always act
In accord with American ideas OF ftness' nor Is
no under the slightest obligation so to do. He Is
n German, not an AlueIlCdH' Thp'ioi' '"' az
has shown no signs of any such maignity tow
ard this country as such orders would 'nevi'aDly
nresnppose. On the contrary, he has shown a
considerable degree Of friendliness toward me
country which contains so many Of his own
roce and which regarded with so cordial sym
patbv the creation Of the empire over which he
regns. Nor Is it conceivable that Prince henry
,s acting against us on his own initiative He
do md Is
<neode0 man 10 deem il proper or wise TO do So
IIo bas no natural inclination toward such
course and he certainly was not sent TO the Far
East on any such mission We may DISMISS
those two theories as untenable. And after
,bcm what other is there? Certainly no Ger
man consul or admiral or private subject would
venture upon so dangerous a game, and GER
tanly the Berlin Government would not order II
without the Emperors knowledge and consent.
For there could be no more dangerous game
"a MAY. II was made clear last summer that
any overt act Of interference between the uniteh
States and Spain would be regarded by this
country In the gravest possible light. II that was
so then much more so is It now. For then the
disposition of the Philippines was not deter
mined. and other nations might have had some
show of pretext for intervening TO safeguard
their own and their subjects rights Had the
Paris Treaty merely provided for the relinquish
ment of the islands by Spain, as in the case OF
Cuba. there might have been such show OF pre-
text. But instead Of that Spain has ceded the
islands TO us outright. For any other nation 10
interfere would therefore be TO challenge not
only our present sovereignty there, but also
spain's former sovereignty, and to deny the va
lidity of the Treaty Of Paris. That Is step
which we are not prepared to believe any Euro
pean milton means 10 take. We cherish no iliu-
sions as 10 the sentiments Of foreign Powers
toward America Some OF them are doubtless
Jealous OF the commercial progress and terrific
rial expansion this country Is effectng But we
do not believe any Of them means 10 commit an
act of war against US. And to furnish arms and
money to Philippine insurgents to aid them In