The herald., 1898-03-17
VIEWS
On the State of Relations
With Spain
NO CAUSE FOR WAR
ANY INTERVENTION WOULD BE
UNFAIR
THE DOCTRINE OF HANDS OFF
Was Laid Down During the Civil War
and Should Not Now Be De-
parted From
.ssociated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
NEW YORK, March Ex-senator
Stephen B. Elkins, in signed statement
in the World says:
1.-The American people should treat
Spain, in the present state of affairs just
as she would treat any other nation.
Conscious of her strength and desiring
to be just, the United States cannot af-
ford 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 capital.
Congress, postal facilities and the like,
possessed of 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 non-in-
tervention 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. Before
the United States secured it's independ-
ence the armies of England on United
States soil surrendered. The United
States has no more to do with the war
between Cuba and Spain than any ma
ton on the earth. When it becomes just
and right for the United States to recog-
nize the independence of Cuba, it will
be just and right for the other nations
to do the same thing, especially the gov
ernments on this continent. This, of
course. will end the Cuban war and other
difficulties. What Cuba would do after
wards, 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 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 the Maine was
blown up is not clear. If Spain should
dsavow any knowledge or participation
in the blowing up of the Maine and insist
on submitting the matter of 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 we'll af-
ford 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
crime against humanity and civiliza-
tion as much against Spain as against
the United States. I 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 willing, in order to secure Gu
ban independence, that the United
States should go to war with Spain.
II think more of the United States
and her people and interests than I do
of the Cuban cause or Cuban independ-
ence, and I am not willing to go to war
simply to secure Cuban independence.
(Signed) STEPHEN B. ELKINS."
TALK OF A TRADE
NEW YORK, March 16.-Horatio S.
Rubens, counsel of the Cuban Junta in
this city, in speaking of the proposition
to buy Cuba from Spain and thereby
end the war; declared that it was simply
1,a inc re
never agree to any such plan. The only
way that a syndicate could figure in any
scheme of the kind would be in case
Spain decided to give Cuba her freedom
on the payment of an indemnity by the
Cuban government. Mr.. Rubens added
that the insurgents, to end the terrible
suffering of many innocent people on
account Of the war, might be willing to
accept a proposition to pay an indem-
nifty to Spain to evacuate. The insur-
gents, however, would not pay more
than S100,000000. If, however, Spain
would agree to accept an indemnity for
Cuba's freedom, Mr.. Rubens said the
Cubans would have no trouble in get
ting money. The government of the
young nation would issue a series of
bonds, which could easily be sold. Bonds
10 d llIIllleu e8ltHl WOulu also De issued
to pay the soldiers who have fought in
Cuba's cause so long without remun-
Grafton, to relieve the distress on the
island and to help the tillers of the soil
until they could once more make liv-
ing on the land.
Mr.. Rubens thought such a solution
of the whole Cuban trouble would be
possible and even probable, if pressure
were brought to bear on the Spanish
government at this time, but there must
be no indication of lack of firmness or
indecision in treating the matter.
Mr.. Rubens declared that then the
syndicate of which so much had been
said of late could figure prominently if
it so desired by purchasing the bonds
| issued by the Cuban government.
Should Spain be called on to pay an in
demnity for the loss of the Maine, she
could do SO with some of the money re-
ceived from the Cubans.
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