The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-08
ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SECRETARY SHERMAN TALKS
FREELY ON CURRENT TOPICS.
He Predicts Srainss Loss Of Cuba
No Chang. Likely I'm Hawaii Till
COnxress Meets, and No Trouble
With Japan Expected-Ready to
Defend Alaska Boundary - En-
gland Slow to Fight.

NEW YORK. Aug The following in
ssrylsw with Secretary o. State Sherman.
OBTAINED az Anasansett, l. L. ssss before
his return 10 Washington. is published IN
the World:
Spain viii lose cuha. Tha. seems 20
me 20 be certain. She cannot continue tha
struggle Already the conflict has cost
her nlore than ssnaocsa Her money IS
reacned The ,imls Of her Borrowing ca
pachy. she cannot pay back what she
has already borrowed The on.y thing left
We had TO do thai after the revolnsten.
having repudiafed them she can BEGIN
anew. but she viii have 10 begin without
Insurgents have hee.i fighting with only
ward, The spanlsh soldiers have been
then the conflict viii stop.
Snain Is IN no condition 10 wage war
anywhere The burdens placed upon her
Hsops ,s 70 s s h The ssrIssie Tor rsss.
spread discomfort VIII come sooner or later
within the Spanish domain. Stopping the
SITE ssrSssle, ny withdr,awins hsr .roops from
only way 10 recover. Sooner or later she
must do this. So far we have done moth
Ing TO arouse the anger Of the spanish
people. We have gore on minding Our
own business. deaf 70 the distress OF Cuba
and deaf to pleaongs OF our own people
who wanted the government 10 interfere
The secretary was asked as - whether
there was any truth in the report that the
American flag was to be raised in Hawaii
and protectorate proclaimed. He re-
piled:
I cannot divulge the instructions gwen
TO Minister Sewall. Perhaps they viii de-
vslop as time passes. But ! can say that
u hawaii until congress reconyeres.
There can be no change because the terms
OF the pending treaty. which have been
observed
There is nothing In this talk that a seri-
Gus disagreement between this country
and Japan will follow any interference on
our part with the existing system OF gov
eminent IN Hawaii Japan must certainly
understand that this nation has never OBJ
trouble it has had on this score was due
to officials for whom We are not response
BILE and over whom we have no control.
II We had Hawaii, Japan would have no
reason to fear that her subjects would
suffer from unfair treatment.
While I believe that Japan Is entirely
innocent of any intent OF assuming toward
US belligerent or threatening attitude, ir
may be we'll 10 remark that her attitude.
no matter what ii might be. would not
affect our position in the least.
I'VE have always believed that We have
more right to take stand In the man
agement CT the Hawaiian islands and the
government of the other lands similarly
situated than any other country.
Hawaii is only about 1850 miles from
our shores. Whatever course we see fit
to pursue towards her will be pursued
consider that we have a right to do this
and We will insist. upon maintaining our
rights at any cost.
Have you taken any interest In the dis
covery of the new gold fields?
Mr. Sherman looked up in surprise.
You mean the Clondyke region? OF
course ! have. That is a matter that would
naturally attract the attention OF any man
in my position.
The fact that international con,plica-
tons may ensue has OF course sharpened
my interest In the subject. There may be
questions as TO boundaries. Ii has always
been customary to consider the lines as
running along the mainland. But occa-
sienally II has been contended that III lay
Ing the lines 10 determine the thirty mile
line measurement could he made from the
points Of land extending farthest into the
water, or even from islands. Whenever
these claims were made the purpose Of
them has been apparent They were made
TO advance the interests of the country
making them. II disagreement arises
over such a question Ii would possibly be
because some OF the Islands prove OF I'M
usual v3!ue. This government is ready 20
maintain the rights Of Its citizens and TO
protect its own interests to the last de-
gree:
as 70 what may happen in Alaska IL dif-
6culties arise We will be ready to face
them. but expect no trouble"
ing rapidly made"
"oh. don't know about that" replied
place are undoubtedly exaggerated.
guess some Of them are grossly
gold Is found The tales are built on hopes
and imagination as much a. on the facts.
is likely to injure us financially. Whether
or not 1t is port OF entry Is OF no spe-
clal consequences. The. matter cuts
Our relations with England seem to
have been restored to friendly basis"
LAUGH oh ss s sss M sssssa there With ever
was a. cloud. has been blown completely
away"
Then ne laughed again. Folding his
hands in his lap. the secretary said. with
a slight trace Of humor In his voice:
These seals, considering their location
and the manner OF their life. have some
times made things pretty warm for Varf-
Gus nations. England never had any good
reason TO quarrel with us abou them, be-
caGse the more seals we caught the better
for her. You know we can't dress the
skins in this country. We don't know how
to do IL, and so when we CAPTURE seal
skin we have 10 send I; 10 England to be
dressed. and then II comes back TO us: its
original owners. as an imported article.
England is great country. but II Is
not always safe to assume that she Is
ready to follow up every quarrel with
blows Sire QuarrelS oftener than She
fights. II would be exceedingly difficult
for her to fight Us all alone about our seal
catchinr Russia and Japan are IN sim
liar position and anv quarrel between the
United States and England on this score
would in ali probability involve those 9TH
or two countries. II is nv opinion that
England would hesitate A long time be-
fore getting into such n scrape.
Japan as a nation Is not to be desnised.
Her rsrent war with China showed the
world that sire stands we'll to the front
as powerful country Her people num-
her about g. M 900 She Is not beneath the
contempt Of sny. nation. and the time has
come when she must be considered
'fprIt 7 DO rot believe that We will ever
have any serious difficulty with England
Our refusal 10 be irtimidated has had
saiutary effect
at il no. our custom 70 retreat or 70
retrart because We are cautious as -
movements ard tho statements We make.
This canfter has generally placed us IN
= sl.u.s.f.s, LII. rnsl.Inra whAn intArna lion al