The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-03-17
ELKINS ON THIN WAR.
Says the United States Has 70 Right
10 Crowd Spain,
NO CAUSE YET FOR WAR.
lie Puts ais Views on the Situation on
Broad Lines aud nehns- some
Points That Would iir Hard Tor
1his Country 60 overcome.

New York. March l6-senator stc-
phen y Elkins, In a signed statement In
The World, ays:
"The American people should treat
Spain in the present state of'afairs just
As she would treat any other nation.
Conscious OF her strength, and desiring
to be just. the United States cannot a..
ford 10 be other than fair in her conduct
toward Spain She has no difficulty
with Spain and seeks none.
up TO this moment the United States
has no cause for war with Spain Spain
is simply trying 10 hold what belongs 20
her, and what has been hers for the
past century or more, just as any other
nation would do, aud just as the United
States did IN the civil war. Tho
United States did all il could then 20
prevent the independence OF the south.
orn states
Cuba has fought for three years for
independence The south, with more
claims for independence, with a capital,
a congress, postal facilities and the like,
possessed OF one.ihird Of the republic,
with an army equal TO any that the
world has ever seen, fought four years,
and the United States steadily resented
and resisted any idea Of Intervention or
recognition. IL seems TO me that the
United States laid down doctrine of
noninteryention in the civil war from
which she cannot easily and with con.
sistency depart.
"As to freeing Cuba without war II
Cuba can drive Spain from the island
she will secure her Independence. Be-
fore the United States secured is indie
pondonce the armies OF England on
United States soil surrendered. The
United States has no more to do with
the war between Spain and Cuba than
any other nation on earth Whenever
1t becomes just and right for the United
States to recognize the independence Of
Cuba, It will b, just and right Tor all
other nations 70 do the same thing. os-
pecinily the governments on this cont.
nont This, Of course, will end the Gu
han war and other difficulties What
Cuba viii DO afterward ] Clnno, say.
"rho independence Of Cuba will not
solve the enIire Cuban problem. The
question will remain whether Cuba can
govern herself in case she should secure
her Independence.
"Thc most the United States could do
would be- 10 demand money indemnity.
but just what the United States would
do IN the event IL IS shown that the
Maine was blown up Is NOT clear There
are no presidents II Span sh1uld dis
nyow any knowledge or participation in
the blowing mp OF the Maine and ir.i.t
un submitting thg matter of wyiue iu-
dcmnity to q court ul arbitration. ut thc
-muo time ,yW siura w,liiuuo.s to
ab.d, by fha decision OBJ thc cllrt d1
not tl.nk the United States could wcll
aHuri fu ufu,e
III smiu bad nothing pdo with thc
blowing lr ~ the Maine ml itVus uu
act OF .r ponab.e mrt.e. itva. crime
against humanity muI civilization, u.
much against Spain as against the
United States ldou't think tlo United
States is called up0u 1Hy mono than
Mexico or south America 10 take action
now 800 Cuban matters
"Fricud. of Cuba 10 The United State.
arr doing most ot the lighting for CgN.
They arr the cause OF the most of the
war feeling that now prevail. IN the
United States They arc willing, la or.
der % .ccg.c Cuban independence, that
the United state, should 90 20 war with
Spain
II think morn of the United State.
and her people aud interest. than / do
Of the Cuban cause ur Cuban iudcpon
dcucc, aud am not williugto go 10 wal
simply 10 secure Cuban Independence "