Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-03-18
ELAINS PLEADS FOR PEACE.
senator in "A Signed statement Reviews the



senator in Signed statement Reviews the
Situation.
New York. March 17.-Senator
stephen b. Elkins, in a signed state
,,ert in the World, says:
"The American people should treat
Spain in this present state of affairs
fast as she would treat any other ma
lion. Conscious of her strength, and
desiring to be just, the United States
cannot afford TO 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 to hold what
has been hers for the last century or
more just as any other nation would
do. and Just as the United States did
IL the civil war. The United States
aid ell it could then to prevent the in
dependence of the Southern States.
Cuba has fought for three years for
independence. The South, with more
claims for independence, with a capi-
tai. Congress, postal facilities and
the like, possessed of one-third of the
republic, with an army equal to any
that the world has ever seen, fought
four years and the United States stead
i!y resented and resisted any idea of
intervention or recognition. It seems
10 me the United States laid down a
doctrine of non-intervention in our
civil war from which she cannot easily
and with consistency depart
AS to freeing Cuba without war. If
Cuba can drive Spain from the island
she Will secure her independence. Be-
f9re the United States secured its in
dependence the armies of England on
United States soil surrendered. The
United States has no more tC do with
the war between Spain and Cuba than
any other nation on earth. Whenever
it becomes just and right for the Uni
ted States to recognize the independ-
ence Of Cuba it will be just and right
fol- all other nations to do the same
hing, especially the governments on
this continent. This, Of course. will
end the Cuban war and other difficult
ties What Cuba would do afterward
! cannot say.
"The independence of Cuba will not
solve the entire Cuban problem. The
question will remain whether Cuba can
govern herself in case she would Sc
cure her independence
The most the United States could
do would be TO demand money in
demnity, but just what the United
States would do in the event it is
shown that the Maine was blown up is
not clear. There are no precedents.
If Spain should disayow any knowledge
or participation in the blowing up of
the Maine and insists on submitting
the matter of paying an indemnity to
G court of arbitration, at the same time
expressing 4 willingness to abide by
the decision of the court, | do not
think the United States could well af-
ford 10 refuse.
'if Spain had nothing TO do with the
blowing up Of the Maine and it was an
act Of irresponsible parties, it was a
crime against humanity and civiliza
ton. as much against Spain as against
the United States. l don't think the.
United States is called upon any more
than Mexico or South America to take
action now in Cuban matters.
Friends of Cuba in the United
States are doing most of the fighting
for Cuba. They are the cause of most
Of the war feeling that now prevails
in the United States. They are will
ing, in order to secure Cuban indie
pendence, that the United States
should go to war with Spain
NJ think more of The United States
and her people and interests than I do
of the Cuban cause or Cuban indie
pendence, and | am not willing to go
to war simply to secure Cuban indie
pendence. STEPHEN B. ELKINS."