The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-02
SHERMAN ON WAR.
He Says He Was Opposed 10 II All
the Time


Tho Chicago correspondent Of the st.
Louis Republic telegraphs as follows
under date of May 90
ct wish to God the warwereover. I
wish 10 God the war had never been
started. | was opposed to it from the
beginning. But now that we are in IL.
j want TO see brought 10 as effectual
and triumphant an end as possible"
The speaker was ex-Secretary Of state
John Sherman.
Il think" he continued. that we
should be satisfied with the results so
far. There has been some disposition TO
criticise the hardness of Sampson and
Schley. That is unreasonable. / think.
because no one has any idea Of what
they are dom or Of what the Spanish
fleet is doing.
1.-THE Naval Board OF Strategy also may
have come In for criticism but IL ought
not to. The board simply acts I'm an
advisory capacity TO Secretary Long.
All orders TO the feet must come
through him. I think he is allowing
Sampson to follow out his own ideas.
LAS l said, craftsmanship was op-
posed 20 this war. The demand OF the
people reflected by Congress. as 1t al
ways is. brought it on. The demand for
the relief Of the suffering Cubans was
strong, but the destruction of the PCS
sailors on the Maine caused the warp
'Wili II become war Of conquest"
was asked.
"Certainy not We want neither the
Philippines nor Cuba. We want no for
eign outposts which we will have to de-
fend with our ships. We do not want TO
be constantly in trouble with France.
Germany, and possibly England This is
~.
resources in itself II wants no entangle-
ments with foreign nations. 1t wants to
keep them off its shores and II wants 10
keep of theirs. Our trade treaties with
every civilized nation on the globe are
sufficient.
81 do not believe I'm an offensive and
defensive alliance with England. People
throughout the country generally may
have talked Of It. but only because their
fears are aroused by the thought Of Eu-
ropean Intervention. There is no chance
- the interference of any foreign power
Diplomacy may step I'm, but warships and
armies never. Great Britain is always in
trouble with some otherpOwer With the
United States at her back these troubles
wouldb ecome more serious and more fire.
auent and the United States would soon
become embroiled. We need fear no ma
tions in the world Our country is safe
from an invading army. and our coast
cities are prot ected from hostile fleets
How about the troops going to the
Philippines
That, OF course, is a military neces-
sity"
What was your opinion Of the diolo-
macy of the Spaniards while you were
Secretary OF Slater
"You can't Judge Spantards by the
standard OF any other nation. They
have never been able 10 govern, as they
have lost all the vast possessions they
once held They will do things and call
them honorable which would be revolt
ing to an American. Englishman, or
Frenchman. They are cruel brutal and
vniidctive Taking these characteristics
into consideration, IT is hard 10 judge
Of their ability.
'rhe war had nothing TO do with my
resignation from President McKinley's
cabinet. In fact, up to the time | left
there had been no talk Of war in the
cabinet. The question OF getting the
SpaniOrds out Of Cuba camc up, but
there was no war talk.
AS to my relations with President
Mckinley l care to say nothing. was
never in better mental and physical con-
dition than ] am now"
The condition OF Mr.. S. w Travers was
considered unchanged last night