The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-17
MONEYS VIEW ON CUBA.
Senator EIkins Compares Cuban War
to the Southern Rebellion.

New York, March Ex-senator Steph-
en- B. Elkins, in signed statement in
the World says:
1.-The American people should treat
Spain in this state of affairs just as she
would treat any other nation. 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 belongs to
her, and what has been hers for the
past century or more, just as any other
nation would do, and just as the United
States did in the civil war. The United
States did all it could then to prevent
the independence of the southern 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-third 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. 1t seems to me the United
States laid down a, doctrine of nom
intervention in our civil war from
sistency depart.
LAS to freeing Cuba without war, if
Cuba can drive Spain from the island
she will secure her independence. Be
fore the United States secured its in
dependence 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
it becomes just and right for the United
States to recognize the independence of
Cuba it will be just and right for all
other nations to do the same thing, eS-
pecially the governments on this CONT
nent This, of course, will end the Gu
bar war and other difficulties. What
4 #
THE independence of Cuba will not
solve the entire Cuban problem. The
question will remain, whether Cuba can
govern herself in case she should secure
her independence.
The most the United States could do
would be to demand a money indemnity
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 dis
avOW any knowledge or participation
in the blowing up of the Maine and in
sist on submitting the matter of paying
indemnity to a court of arbitration, at
the same time expressing a willingness
to abide by the decision of the court,
do not think the United States could
well afford to 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 civilization
as much against Spain as against the
United States. don't think the Uni
ted 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 Gu
/ ba- They are the cause of the most of
/ the war feeling that now prevails in
| the United States. They are willing, in
/ order to secure Cuban independence,
! that the United States should go to war
| with Spain.
Il think more of the United States
! and her people and interests than dc
of the Cuban cause or Cuban independ-
/ ence and I am not willing to go to war
| simply to secure Cuban independence "