The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-26
Strongly Opposed TO the Retention
of the Philippines.
WOULD CAUSE TROUBLE
WE NEED AND SHOULD HOLD
PORTO RICO.
Former Secretary of State Favors a
Larger Standing Army and a
Stronger Navy-In Fixing the
Indemnity From Spain We
Should Remember the Maine.

New York, July pa special to tbs
| World from Washington says:
Former Secretary of State John
Sherman in al interview said:
Il regret to hear of the reported diff
ferences between Generals Shafter and
J Garcia in Cuba. If the Cubans de-
| served enough respect to be recognized
\ by the United States 1t seems to me
\ they should be respected on the field
/ of battle. They have battled for, lib
erty and freedom from SPANS tyranny
| for half q century or more and now
that the object which they have so long
| fought for is in sight, they should share
in the fruits of victory. General
Garcia should have been invited to the
surrender of Santiago and if he was
not a blunder was made.
Congress passed a resolution TO ex-
pei Spain from Cuba. In that resolu-
ton it was clearly stipulated that we
would leave the island to the control
of the people thereof, after a firm and
stable government had been establish
ed. Therefore we cannot, with any
show of consistency, lay claim to the
island after it has been taken from
Spain.
1T is yet to be determined whether
or not the Cubans are capable of self
we should turn the island over to them,
but if the Cubans become dissatisfied
with their form of government after
we set Il I'D and rebel against it, we
would doubtless feel called upon to
step in and take the island. This, to
my mind. is the only contingency which
could arise wherein the United States
would be justified in taking Cuba.
AT this time it is not possible to
form an approximate estimate of the
amount of indemnity we should demand
from Spain. Much. depends on future
events. 1t seems to me, however, that
the Maine incident should not be lost
sight of when the United States begins
to figure on indemnity. 1 have always
believed that the Maine was blown up
by the SDaniardS. 1t may be, how
ever, that the act was done surreDtiti-
ously and without the knoledge of the
Spanish government. But the Maine
went into a friendly harbor on a
friendly mission and should have been
protected while in that harbor. This
is a fact which the American people
cannot lose sight of.
"Of the Spanish territory which may
accrue to US because of the war. there
is only one island which 1 would be in
favor of retaining and that is Porto
Rico. There are reasons why Porto
Rico would be a desirable acquisition.
But, as 1 believe, there is no excuse
for taking the Philippines or Cuba.
Annexation OF the Philippines would be
endless trouble for our government. AL
ready we are confronted with the in
surgent leader Aguinaldo, who has be-
decked himself with jewels, whistles
and other trinkets to distinguish him.
self from other mortalS, and if We at
tempt TO lay claim to the Philippines
group we may have serious trouble |
with the insurgents.
Porto Rico is needed as a coaling |
station for our warships, in time of /
war. and for our merchantmen in time /
Of peace. The day has come when we |
should have coaling stations in all |
parts of the world. The present war |
has forcibly demonstrated that coal is |
as valuable as gunDowder and We !
should make every provision for fuel /
IN the future.
eve have a navy of fair proportions,
but the future will require an enlarge
nent of our present sea force. l am
in favor of an increase
N our naval strength.
Our land forces also should be
augmented: a standing army of $4,000
would not be too large for our poDula-
ion. An interocean canal which l
nope to see constructed in the near
,uture, would be of great advantage to
is in defending our western seacoast.
A canal connecting the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans should be built by the
government"