The Portland daily press., 1898-03-28
PEACE OR WAR.
DR.. Dalton on the Situation at St. Steph-
ems Church Yesterday

At St. Stephens church yesterday
morning, DR.. Dalton reviewed some OF
the reasons advanced in favor of war with
Spain in behalf OF Cuba. 4
His text was from II. Kings, GIT. "Is
1t Peace?" and Isaiah 1-12, "Who hath
required this at your hands?"
Evidently, such a war would be popular
with many, low many we cannot say.
The number will depend upon the way
men are Z led to look upon it, and the
reasons alleged In its behalf. Let us
briefly consider some OF the most weighty.
Q) 1t is said, that our interests in the
island are so great as to demand our IN
tervention. But what are these interests,
and how would war conserve them? In
money value they amount to about fifty
millions, at the most, in investments
there, and perhaps fifty millions more
from loss of trade, equal in all to round
one.hundred millions. Now war to
protect these interests, would cost more
than a million day and would run up
to hundred millions in three months.
~
perhaps, five hundred millions i. Q. half
a billion, not to mention many thousand
lives, the flower of our youth. now eager
for the fray. Regarding our interests
then, to which side does the balance in
cline? especially as the Spaniards excel in
self defence? (2) Others say the question
concerns our honor. But how so, and
Wherein What has Spain done to touch
our honor, unless we onn prove she blew
up the Maine while lying in Havana.
That is question of fact yet to be deter
mined, and may be settled by arbitration.
At present, it does not warrant war.
(3) The most popular cry, however. is
the plea Of humanity" Doubtless this
sentiment does and should spur our people
to relieve the suffering of the starving
Cubans, and this we are now doing. Our
government, too, may take up the work
and perform 1t more efficiently. How
ever, this may be. what relief can war
bring to the sufferersP We now have &C
cess to them with the full consent Of
Spain. But If war were declared, the now
open door would be shut at once and no
farther aid could be extended. What must
follow then? Then starvation will stare
them in the face, the greatest inhumanity
Of which We can be guilty. The Spaniards
would have no food for the Cubans, and
we could no longer send them from our
abundance. Is this the way to relieve the
Cubans, or is this to be humane on our
part? The truth Ia, that both honor and
humanity CRY aloud for peace, and ask
US to keep out of this family quarrel, ex-
cept so far as we can save thousands of
Cubans from starving. This is the duty
of..the hour, and is the one form of inter-
vention which Spain dare not deny us, If
she would. Soon the Spaniards will de-
spair Of conquering the Cupans and be
compelled both to recognize the indie
pendenoe of Cuba and retire from the
Island II the Speaker Of the House were
President Of the United States, for one,
should have no fear OF war, for he would
certainly stand like stone wall in resist
ing cry for war viii oh, II 1t comes, will
demoralize and destroy Thousands of our
o;rn people, that we may secure liberty to
hHOtucf anu 1okcI&u POopiO, VIM Ole HOAS
to win it for themselves, and will not fai
to do 1t within year, II allowed to work
out their own salvation. The Cubans do
not suffer from the climate as the
Spaniards do, and as We should, still
more, for our climate is more unlike
Cubs's than is Spsin's. Why sacrifice
the lives Of our citizens and expose our
country to all the hazards of war, inolud-
ing perhaps foreign complications and
costly conflicts. Besides. a war Of this
kind might kindle a passion for conquest
which uncontrolled would prove fatal to
the Republic. "Who hath required this
at your hands," my countrymens Let it
not be. Let the really patriotic papers
and pulpiss spenk out as they did in
Venezuelan scare and war will be prac-
tically impossible. Some say let the
pulpit be silent on this subject, and stick
to the gospel. But is not our religion a
gospel of "peace on earth and good will to
men, Did not Christ come to save men g
lives. and not to destroy them.