Centennial Celebration of Manila
1998.
America never surrenders, and that is one reason why we hold on
to the Philippines. Grand Celebration of the Dewey Centennial
throughout the Americas.
In the year 1999 the American possession of the Philippine islands
was regarded throughout the United States of the Americas as a master
stroke. Statesmen in that year asked themselves how the Americas
could have ever developed their enormous Asiatic commerce, without
having a point d'appui, or base of operations, in Oriental waters?
In the year 1899 Christendom (and Heathendom, as well,) beheld with
amazement the carving up of China by the greedy vultures of Europe. In
that year of her interminable history, China resembled a huge, helpless
jelly-fish, attacked on every side by the sword-fishes of Europe. While
this interesting process of China-carving was in full operation,
America, as a result of Dewey's victory, discovered that a pearl [The
Philippines in 1999.] of rare value had fallen into her lap. When
Dewey entered Manila bay on the ever memorable morn of May 1st, 1898,
he had not so much as a hitching-post to fasten the painter (rope) of
his smallest launch. But, before the setting of the sun on that day,
he had laid low a whole empire under the keels of his squadron. There
lived not a solitary European Admiral of the period of 1898 who would
not have given his right arm to have been in Dewey's place.
In 1999 it appeared incredible that one year only after the battle
of Manila there were men (earnest and well-meaning patriots, many
of them,) who were strenuously opposed to the retention of those
islands by the United States of America. It was difficult, in the
twentieth century, to conceive how short-sighted, how unmindful of
our country's glorious future, were those so-called anti-expansionists.
In 1999 the argument was clear and indisputable that America in 1898
had not waged a wanton war for conquest. It was a necessity of war that
brought about the destruction of the Manila wing of the Spanish fleet,
and the city was captured subsequently as an act of self-defense. It
became [Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep.] a measure of necessity to
"put to sleep" every Spanish gun afloat in the Pacific. Had Dewey
allowed any of these sea-hounds to escape and prey upon American
commerce in that ocean, what would have become of our merchant shipping
in the Pacific? Our finest steamships would have been at the mercy of
the most contemptible Spanish privateer. Hundreds of precious lives
and American shipping, representing millions of dollars, must have
been destroyed by the pirates of the red and yellow flag. But Dewey
put them all to sleep and rocked them in the cradle of the deep.
This deed of self-defence accomplished, then what? Ought Dewey to have
vacated Manila bay and made a laughing-stock of himself or stand his
ground and bring the fight with Spain to a finish? There can be but
one patriotic answer to this question.
Dewey stood his ground, and in 1899 public opinion throughout the world
divided itself into two great camps--those who openly and others who
secretly admired the brave American Admiral.
On the 1st day of May, 1998 the Centennial anniversary of the battle of
Manila was celebrated with a volcanic display of intense enthusiasm
throughout the United States of the Americas. It was "Dewey Day"
from the State of Alaska clear south to the State [Equal to the 4th
of July.] of Patagonia. The seals in Baffin's bay wore an extra
smile, while the albatross and other gulls at the Horn circled about
and fluttered as though something uncommon was on.
Every city in the vast Republic was in gala attire to honor the
glorious memories of the day. In Washington, (Mexico,) and at the
capitals of each of the eighty-five States of the Americas the Manila
Centennial was signalized with a patriotic enthusiasm seldom equaled
but never eclipsed.
The celebration of the Centennial anniversary of Waterloo by the old
allied nations of Europe in 1915 proved a very brilliant affair, one
which dazzled the world by its magnificence and regal splendor. But
the Manila Centennial in 1998 relegated the Waterloo episode entirely
in the shade. The only American national celebration of the twentieth
century that might compare with it was the Bi-Centennial celebration
of the Declaration of Independence on the 4th day of July, 1976.
The Manila Centennial in 1998 celebrated what was universally regarded
as the pivotal [Turning Point of American History.] or turning point
in American History. From the date of that battle in 1898 the supremacy
of the United States became established as a first-grade power. Its
prowess in war and triumphs in the arts of peace were universally
recognized. Little then is it to be wondered at that the American
Colossus in 1998 seethed with patriotic fervor on the 1st day of May
of the Manila Centennial anniversary.
The preparations for the great event had been under way for nearly
a year. It was clearly remembered in 1998 that, although Bunker
Hill was an insignificant fight from a military point of view, yet
it was a glorious battle for America from the fact that it proved a
turning point in our nation's history. So it proved with the battle of
Manila. It was a turning point in our national history that demanded
a fitting celebration of its centennial anniversary.
In 1998 the President of the United States of the Americas was Vernon
R. [A Chip of the Old Block.] Schley, a grandson of the famous
Admiral who annihilated Cervera's fleet on the 3rd day of July, 1898,
while the commander-in-chief was inconveniently away on some other
errand. Upon President Schley devolved the high honor, but irksome
and difficult task, of firing at sunrise a salute of ærial torpedoes
in the capitals of every State in the vast American Republic, and,
at the same moment, from his private office in the Capitol building
in Washington, Mexico, the President unfurled the American flag on
the dome of every State house in the Americas.
This, of course, was accomplished by means of electricity. At first
thought it might appear to be a very easy task to press a button in
the State of Mexico and fire off ærial torpedoes in the States of
Alaska, the Canadas, Peru, Patagonia, Argentina, Venezuela, Bolivia
and Brazil at the same instant, extending the salutes to the Middle
American States of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Salvador, Guatemala, but as a
matter of fact, the task of the President was by no means an easy one.
On the Manila Centennial anniversary day President Schley required
nearly three [Going Around with the Sun.] hours of constant work to
fire the national salutes from the Eastern to the Western Capitals of
the great Republic at exactly sunrise in each city on the 1st day of
May, 1998. The sun arose on the Eastern Capitals of the New England
States that morning at 5:32 A. M. in Hartford, Boston, Montpelier
and other cities, but it was nearly 8:43 A. M. before the President
could fire off the ærial torpedoes over the Golden Gate, unfurling
at the same moment Old Glory, which waved to the morning breezes of
the broad Pacific.
All those States of the Americas, from Canada to Patagonia that are on
the same degree of longitude received their signals from the President
at about the same time. The most easterly city of the American Union in
1999 was Rio Janeiro, situate on the 40° longitude. The torpedo salutes
were first fired there in honor of the great Centennial. The next
city that saluted was Montevideo. Buenos Ayres next followed. Boston,
Mass., Caracas in the State of Venezuela and Bogota in the State
of Colombia were next "touched off" by President Schley, and so in
the course of the rising sun each American city saluted the glorious
day. When this feature of the 1998 centennial program was explained
to a Frenchman on the 1st day of May of that year, he shrugged his
shoulders as only a Frenchman can, exclaiming: "Mon Dieu, vhy don't
zey fire a salute in zee sun,--parbleu."
In this vast aggregation of eighty-five States the Dewey Centennial
celebration was everywhere observed with marked enthusiasm, but the
style of the celebration differed widely, according to the section
or location of the State in which it was held. [Different Ways of
Celebrating.] Throughout Alaska and the two Canadian States and the
northern belt of States, military pageants, naval parades, athletic
sports, orations, concerts and banquets predominated.
In the tropical or Central American States, high mass was celebrated
in all the cathedrals and churches in Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua,
Salvador, Guatemala and Costa Rica, and the day was given to feasting
and dancing. Throughout the southern sections of the United States of
the Americas, in Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and contiguous States,
the Te Deum was chanted in all the principal churches and high mass was
celebrated with a pomp and magnificence that appeals so irresistibly
to the heart of the Latin race. In each State of the Americas ample
appropriations had been voted from State funds to meet the expenses
of the great day. Not a family in the colossal American Republic
of 500,000,000 souls lacked on that day for a feast of the choicest
delicacies, with a carte blanche of wines of the most grateful and
generous vintage.
On the occasion of the Manila Centennial in 1999 Englishmen were
accorded the seat of honor at every table in the Americas and the
health of King Alexander II, who in 1999 wielded the sceptre of Great
Britain, was tossed off with gusto and enthusiasm by every living
American. England's true and sterling friendship to America in 1898
was still vividly remembered in 1998. The strong grasp of her hand
at a critical period in 1898, when her attitude became a matter of
vital importance to America, was still cordially appreciated.
Every American Governor in the South American States as well as those
of Central and North America, gave a sumptuous banquet in honor of
the day. At Rio Janeiro Gov. Day entertained no less than 9,000 at
his festive tables. Gov. Horace K. Depew, a grandson of the Senator
and ex-railroad magnate, entertained 30,000 guests in Washington,
(Mexico). In splendor, elegance and lavish hospitality even the
chronicles of the Middle Ages could furnish no parallel. Gov. Depew's
guests were banqueted and fêted in one of Montezuma's old palaces
which still retained much of its architectural beauty and was rich
in the memories of a glorious past.
High mass was celebrated in the cathedral of Mexico. Gov. Depew and a
brilliant staff attended the services. All public edifices [Celebrating
in Mexico.] and private houses were profusely decorated with garlands
and festoons of beautiful tropical flowers of the most gorgeous
dyes. Massive arches, embellished with medallions of Dewey, were
erected on all the principal streets and avenues. These were made of
verdant boughs, intertwined with the choicest floral creations of the
tropics. Martial music and a constant firing of ærial torpedoes kept
public interest at its keenest edge, from dawn to night. These festive
scenes in the State of Mexico were re-enacted all over the Americas
on the 1st day of May, 1998. The Dewey or Manila Centennial was a
tribute to the memory of the man who at Manila bay, electrified the
world and laid the corner stone of the United States of the Americas.