The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-14
"sRAIN's HOSTAGES FOR PEACE.

i
NO two countries ever went TO war
without each receiving some damage
! no matter which was victor. But some
OIL the papers that are talking about
the prospect of war with Spain over
look this fact. The New York Mail and
express is one of this kind. Spain
mas potent reasons TO avoid conflict
Win the United States in the rich colo
nal possessions which are the rem
nant of SPANS once imnerial dop;r-
loh' says the Mail and EXPRESS.
Ihese possessions include the Canary
islands, the Philippine islands. Cuba.
Porto Rico, and the Sulu, Caroline and
marianne islands, as we'll as Fernando
10 ana other small islands on the At
r1can coast. The Canaries are not.
strictly speaking, colonies, although
situated of the northwest coast of At
rlca' the islands being a province of
spain. All these, as we'll as the Ba-
learic islands, off the coast of Valencia
would inevitably fall, in case of war.
TO the power victorious at sea, and able
10 spare the comparatively small force
necessary for their occupation. In the
Balearic isles and the Canaries the pop
ulatlon is Spanish and loyal to Spain;
IN the philippines, as in Cuba and Por-
TO Rico, Spain governs by force, and
the inhabitants, or the majority of
them, would doubtless welcome the ex-
pulsion of their Spanish masters.
Therefore, SPANS defeat at sea would
assure the loss of her three principal
colonies and probably also of her two
insular provinces. The Philippines are
among the richest countries in the
world The islands are of great extent
about $4,000 square miles-and are
luxuriant in tropical products. They
yield, when at peace, a. large revenue to
Spain, and are most profitable mar
ket for Spanish commerce Japan
covets them, and should they be seized
by the United States, Japan would in
all likelihood be willing to pay a large
sum to have them handed over to her.
The United States would probably not
care to hold any other of the insular
possessions of Spain. except as security
for an indemnity, Cuba and Porto Rico
being allowed. of course, to shift for
themselves. The loss of the Philippines
alone, however, would be a crushing
blow to Spain, and the certainty of that /
loss in the event of war ought in itself /
TO make the rulers of Spain most re- /
luctant to provoke in any manner a .
conflict with the United States. 1t is ]
hard to believe, therefore, that Spain /
would fail to give swift and ample re-
dress for any injury done to the Amer
lean people-if it shall be proven that
the Spanish government is responsible
for the recent awful calamity
If there should be war between the
two countries and the United States
should capture all these possessions.
they would be a curse to the country:
and it is not impossible that we might
bump up against a European Monroe
doctrine if all these islands came into
our possession as the result of a war
with Spain.
While our relations with Spain are
strained, there exists as yet
40 cause of war, and while the precau-
ions being taken by the government
ire wise. the resources of diplomacy
ire still at hand for the adjustment of
my questions between the two govern
nents before resort to the arbitrament
If the sword is had. The people are
thoroughly united and they feel that
here viii be no war save for just and
ighteous cause, but they do not rely ,
N any such reasons as the Mail and ,
express advances to avert it. And !
ven war with Spain would be no :
Holiday affair.
The Mail and Express is not merely s
ounting chickens before they are ,
atched, but is counting them before ,
he eggs are laid. It will be ample
ime to talk. about the result of war
rhen it has begun. And may it never