The times., 1898-08-14
HOLO THE PHILIPPINES
Senator EIkins Offers Strong Ar
guments for Their Retention.
OUR COMMERCE NEEDS THEM
Besides Which 1t Would BE More
Difficult 10 Let Go Than to Hold
Them-We Must he on an Equal
Footing With England to Expand
Our Commerce

More important results viii follow
from the present war than would have
been achieved in a hundred years under
ordinary circumstances" said Senator
Elkins. of West Virginia, in discussing
with me the future outlook in this coup
try.
Few men in the United States are bet
ter fitted to figure in the role Of a proph-
ct than Mr.. Elkins, particularly with
reference TO the problems now confront
ting the nation. Conservative by reason
OF his big business interests, judicial
because OF his long legal training,
careful student of the signs of the times
on account of his national political ex-
perience, and a statesman by virtue of
his career as a former Secretary of War
and United States Senator, Mr.. Elk
ins certainly speaks ex cathedra on the
questions of the hour Moreover, his ear
ly life among Spaniards has given him d
pretty good idea of their character, and
impressed him sufficiently as to their
shortcomings; so that ne can determine
pretty accurately as to what may be ex-
pected from them in the present crisis" /"
I'VE have just entered an epoch-mak-
ing age" continued the senator. BE
fore the war 1 was opposed to annexa-
tion north and south / felt that we
had enough territory to govern. and that
we did not want any more / sustained
the President in trying TO settle the
differences with Spain without war, and
hoped I'D to the last that hostilities
would be avoided.
Seeing that war was inevitable,
then felt, as I stated in the Senate in
my speech on the Cuban question, that
we should be aggressive to the last de-
gree, and take not only Cuba but also
Porto Rico and the Philippines. My idea
was thar Spain, being bankrupt, could
not pay indemnity, and that we
should hold these islands instead. / did
not believe in the resolutions that aimed
to commit the country TO non-annexa-
tion. knew that they would complicate
matters a great deal, and would breed
no end of difficulties, as they have al
ready done. We are confronted with
the problem of giving Cuba a stable
government, and the question is, wheth-
er we have the material there out of
which a stable government can be made.
My proposition was not TO recognize the
insurgen:s. but to wait and see whether
they deserved recognition, and what
sort of treatment they merited al our
hands when the war closed.
'.Al agree that Porto Rico should be-
come part of the United States and be
annexed Immediately. And all agree
moreover that the insurgents should be
given an opportunity to govern the island
of Cuba; and II they cannot do so, chat
Cuba shall ultimately become a part of
the linked States.
There Is q difference of opinion as TO
what hould be done with THE Philippines
ITO my way of thinking ii will be more
difficult for us 10 give up the islands than
10 hold them. ] resent the proposit, on
that the United States should nod only
q part of them or the best of them, and
give the Others back to Spain Having
once taken the islands this etep would
be unfair and unjust 10 The inhabitants
II would be handing shezH over {, their
ancient oppressoas.
do you think anas the United States
would look on complacently to the trans
fer Of Captain General Blanco's army
from Cuba 10 the Philippines and let
him kill and butcher the inilabitants or
leaders of the insurgents indiscriminately,
besides confiscating their property? This
we could not permit, and this is what
would happen If we give back to Spain
part of the islands
''The American people have gone to war
on the ground Of humanity, and it is a
just war Spain refused our reasonable
request for Cuba's independence. Having
gone 10 war. she must suffer the con-
sequences. ] know that we did not enter
into the war for the purpose of conquest
But we cannot avoid the results of the
war. Ii will be remembered that at the