The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-06-04
THE POWERS POLICY.
NO INTERVENTION DURING THE HIS
PANO-AMERlCAN WAR.
Austria and France Anxious For Peace
No objection to Our Holding Puerto Rico
and the Philippines Until Indemnity Is
Paid-Annexation Would BE Protested

No Objection to our holuink Tuer'" 'S~
and the Philippines Until Indemnity Is
Paid-Annexation Would BE Protested.
One of the European ambassadors
discussing the possible consequences Oh
the war from diplomatic standpoint
said the other afternoon:
"There is no intention on the part OF
the powers to obstruct in any way the
war with Spain so long as that war
| lasts. There have been some movements
| by Austria and France to induce other
| European powers to intervene, the IN
ducements being personal solicitude Tor
the queen regent on the part of Austria
and the interests Of the bondholders ON
the part of France, because the sooner
the war is stopped the smaller the loss
! of Spain will be and the better the
bonds of course. The question was re-
| ferred by the different governments TO
| their representatives in Washington and
| has been repeatedly talked over here.
| All of them, with the exception OF the
Austrian minister, have advised their
governments that il would be unwise
and useless TO interfere, and the under
standing has been reached that as long
as Spain and the United States are at
war there will be no intervention, un-
less one side or the other should get
tired, when some representations would
be made. No other power has been ask
ed TO intervene or TO mediate or to ten
der its good offices, but it makes no
difference. They will have their say on
| peace negotiations and tell the United
| States what they think is right and
what is necessary for their own inter
ests
IF the United States should show
any intention of annexing Spanish ter
ritory, with the exception of Cuba, prob
ably there would be objection. But If
| the United States should ask the pay
ment of an indemnity from Spain that
would be considered perfectly just If
the United States could say, I'VE now
have in our possession Puerto Rico as
well as the Philippines, and we are go
ing to hold these islands until an in
demnity is paid, there would be no OBJ
| lection. If she should say, Puerto Rico
! is prize of war, and we are going to an
mex il, there would be remonstrance in
behalf of Spain on the part Of the pow
ers, because the United States has de-
clared to all the world that its purpose
is not to acquire territory, that this is
not war of conquest and that its sole
purpose is to relieve suffering humanity
in Cuba.
Suppose the United States insists
upon retaining Puerto Rico?"
"If England consents, that is posi-
bility. If proper concessions are made to
the peacemakers, they will consent.
Puerto Rico may be bone of contention
between the United States and England,
but you may be certain that Spain will
appeal to the other powers to protest
against the annexation Of territory out.
side of Cuba, which is the object of the
war;
"If the United States should claim
that they have conquered the Philippine
and are entitled to dispose of them lik,
a ship or other captured property, the
other powers will probably not concedC
such a proposition. Admiral Dewey
} went to Manila, destroyed the Spanish
} fleet and planted there the American
flag This might suffice for temporar.
occupation, just as Wei-Hai- Wei wa
occupied by the japanese. The United
/ States could not claim the possession o
) the Philippines unless they conquere,
them fully Should the United State
) claim that they owned the Philippine
and attempted to dispose Of them 70
some consideration to either England o
9 Japan there would at once be hostil
: movement by the other powers-Russi
4 and France and Germany
4 "Do you imagine that under any Gil
Q cumstances Germany and France coul
become allies?"
o ''In a possible emergency, when thei
interests are in peril The dispositio
o of the Philippines could be settled b
j the joint action Of these three powers
@ thus creating an absolute alliance. Sue
o possibility has been foreseen, an
d there is precedent for it, The protes
10 against the treaty of Simonoseki VIZ
n a sort Of test case. Russia, German
l. and France came together and force
y Japan out of Chinese territory very su,
cessfully. That was an experiment.
B. ut might be well to call attention
rs the fact that today in France the plai
70 of Napoleon for the invasion of Englar
t. are still considered as very precio,
y, inheritance, just as they were so yea
D. ago. 1t would be an easy matter f,
France to send 1000, 900 soldiers aero
r the channel to England and storm TIN
le country. The European powers won
re simply stand by, figure up their accoul
u with England and draw the balanc
at No continental power has any desire
in fight with the United States. They ha,
on no plans about the disposition of Il
Philippines, but they do not deem
feasible for the United States TO kec
them. Spain, they know, will new
Is get them back, but some other arrang
ess ment will have to be made. They migl
ey be placed under neutral power, iii
or Holland, which would be quite accep
me able.