New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-12
4 MATTER OF SELFINTEREST.
NATIONAL sYMPATHIES IN THE PRESENT
WAR NOT INFLUENCED BY
SENTIMENT.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: Distant as from the scene OF
European affairs IT Is not easy Tor US " co''-
prehend their complications. and to understand
that sympathy for us or for spain Is merely
matter OF self-interest. This Is essentially
practical age. and the great war OF commerce
now being waged by the States or Europe is not
to be influenced by emotion or sentiment
While in Asia and Africa. England RUSSIA Ter
MANY and France are greedily anneXinS new
territory II Is not strange that they should re-
sent orr power TO maintain the Monroe Doc
trine thus preventing them from doing ike
wise in the Western Hemisphere. PerVaded as
they are by the desire for the increase or ther
colonial possessions. and not yet. IN spite "i
modern prejudiccs. having entirely lost the Ola
Metternich methods Of deceit In their own oipio-
macy II seems impossible for them 10 peheVe
our stated determination to make Cupa Tree
and independent State They more than suspect
us Of hiding under our promulgated hufhahl-
tartan purpose a design TO annex the island.
And did they credit our statement many OF
them would only call us fools for our pains
II IS true that there Is something In the Ties
Of race. and that our Anglo-Saxon cousins are
more likely to feel in sympathy with us thah
with the Latin peoples To them must look
our cause. for they. too. have not answered
Am I my brothers keeper TO the cries OF
oppressed humanity But were II not that Eng
land stands nj present in a decidedly isolated
condition so far as allies concerned we
could not count with absolute certainty upon
her friendship Not so long ago II was denied
us in an equally just and righteous cause;
day. with Russia crowding on toward ihola
with France ever lowering near Egypt and Ger
many pushing on into Africa. Great Britain can
hardly concede that her neghbors are her
friends -
AS for France besides the fact that. fearing
10 lose the interest on the Spanish bonds she
holds she must deplore the loss TO Spain or such
q rich possession as Cuba. II is most important
for her to keep the good will Of Spain and not TO
place herself, as Germany is situated. between
two unfriendy Powers
Retaining the good will Of Spain Is also an I'm
portant factor in comprehending Ieri.uns >
present stand The Triple Alliance Is seriously
weakened by Austria's dangerous internal com
plications and ltaly's poor financial cohdluoh
That Germany seeks to strengthen herseI IA
other quarters Is shown by her evident support
of Turkey in the late war with Greece; ana
though she can hardly expect TO win from spain
q greater degree OF friendship than France VIII
possess she wisely prefers not to Obtain the III
will Of the Spanish people. In the next great
European war the United States Will doubtless
stand. as she has done before. strictly neu,raH
and probably her sympathies being unprelu-
diced by self-nterest will be too varied TO lend
moral support . ~
As a nation $ first thought is naturally for is
own interests sensible understanding or the
positions taken by the States OF Europe should
cause US neither annoyance al lack or sym
pathy for nor citation 10 any sentimental de-
gree over the extension Of II.
Let us. then. neither applauding nor blaming
the sentiments that emanate from the various
peoples OF Europe in regard to our war with
cnain go on with confidence In the nobility Of
our purpose and a strong. calm determination
to show forth the justice Of our cause, proving
to the world that If the anachronism OF war
must come at the end of this nineteenth Chris
tian century It comes for no selfish interests Of
ACKNOWLEDGMENT. spurred on by no hatred FOR
any man. but led by the love OF justice and I'D
erty for all men. NJ l. Is
Washington. May l. lS0S.