The morning journal-courier., 1908-10-05
TWO sCARIls.

The present visit of the stalwart fleet of American battloships to the Phil ippines has been food for many sensa- tional predictions for some time past. From ill-adyised murmurings, some two years ago, a few of our country men, headed by Lieutenant Hobson and some other hot-heads with vivid imaginatlons, carried the idea of a war; scare to its farthest limit, As our good boats came up over the equator from Australasia these dreamers could al- most 500 in thelr mind,a eve the Jap- anose Admiral Togo steaming down to give thqm batte and to dispute and settle for all time the destiny and con trol of the waters of the Far East
 There has been little need for this kind of talk Fortunately most of those who have been croaking like frogs in a bog upon this subject have, with the solo exception of Hobson, long since seen the unwisdom of their ways, The arrival of the fleet at Manila appar- ently finds matters in the Far East as pacific as the ocean thereahouts. IT anything, the unequaled record of the American tackles and the mechanical efficiency that the mammoth. floating fighting g-machines have shown during their long run have evinced the admir- alton of all nations, rather than the envy of any, In spite of the wear and tear, the United States has in the six teen battleshipR that anchored Friday night off the Luneta breakwater at Manila war-rclance of greater pos tcntiality because of the experience the men have had in handling them under every kind of condition without being able to depend upon navy yards for re- pairs There has been no more reason for a Japanese war-scare than there has been for the reports which have been circulated by local agtators about the port of Annoy in China, where the fleet is to touch about the end of october, namely that the Amer jeans contemplate seizlng that place as basis of operations in Chinese wa ters
 The cholera has given rise to another scare in connection with the visit of tile fleet to Manila Unlike the war scare this has increased, rather than decreased, as the ships have plowed along on their water way and it has resulted from commendable, rather than shady, motives. There has been some reason to question whether there was not really good cause for alarm on this score But now, in view of the spe- cial report made hy the governor gen eral to the secretary of wmr the ofIl cials at Washington believe all fears here at home among the friends and relations of those with the fleet should he allayed The report shows that In the last seven years of American oc- curancy there have only been 225 cases of cholera among the Americans in the archipelago and 11a deaths stu .the decision of Admiral sperry to take every precaution as to shore leaves and provisions is a wise one, even in view of the assurances from the city that Ii expects to be absolutely free from the plague within a few days
 The welcome of the lately American ized islanders whether near at hand with clasps of hand parades, and re. captions or at long distance with flying flags, cheering and fireworks, will bC ! none the less spontaneous, heartfelt and patriotic, Today the islanders arc proud Of the American fleet; every day
 America believes 1t has better reason to feel proud of It's Philippines posses 1 sions