The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-22
Which Party WiuAnnex Cuba
BY wArTERsoN srEALEY.

only a member of the family. how easy
it would all be-"
The difference between the positions
taken by Senator Elkins and Represent
tatiye Newlands appears to consist IN
this that Representative Newlands, as
he Informed the writer. believes that
Cuba should be given reciprocity treaty
with an opportunity Of establishing fuller
and freer commercial relations with the
United States, for the purpose of demon
strating beyond question the advantage
to the island of full commercial and
political union with the United States,
while Senator Elkns insists that annexa-
ton should come before Cuba contracts
debts and strains her credit to start in
the race Of national life Why not antic-
ipate the sure workings of time" argues
the Senator, and do now what the peo-
pie of both nations will welcome later on
with joy, unanimity and enthusiasm
Mr.. Newlands Insists that Cuba should
first be given an invitation to become q
territory, with a promise Of statehood
when, IN the Judgment of Congress, the
proper time arrives Mr.. Elkins pro-
poses a treaty Of annexation on the basis
of immediate statehood. Both are appar-
entity anxious to give satisfactory assur-
anee to the people of Cuba that colonial
government, such as that of Porto Rico
and Philippines, need not be feared In
discussing this question Mr.. E1kins SAID:
The People of Cuba will soon learn
that 1t is far better to be state in the
Ana
resentatives to Congress, than to be a
dependent nation. We owe Cuba good
will but why this seeking after friend
ship with country for which we have
done everything? If her government lasts
a thousand years it cannot discharge its
obligations to us, and I cannot understand
this desire to make great and continued
sacrifices in order to secure the friend
ship Of Cuba. The United States can
better AFFORD to give up all trade with
Cuba and pay all the expenses of the
Cuban government than impair the pro-
teetive principle and injure any Ameri-
can industry. No sufficient principle can
be urged against annexation Under all
the circumstances, annexation now is In
the interest of Nth countries. l never
favored 1t before, and opposed the Span
ish war. partly for the reason that in
the event of war the United States would
be compelled to acquire all the territory
of Spain in the western hemisphere, which
1 did not desire"
DO you anticipate any trouble what
ever with any European country over the
annexation of Cuba?" was asked of Rep
resentative Newlands several days ago.
ut is purely a domestic matter" he re-
piled. IF the annexation OF the Philip
pines, seven thousand miles from home,
passed unchallenged, there could be no
possible ground for any European ma
ton even going so far as to question the
propriety Of the United States absorbing
Cuba"
ITO sum it all up" says Senator FL
kins in substance, Cuba would be a de-
sirable acquisition to the United States,
but entrance into the American Union
will sooner or later become an imperative
necessity to Cuba
To many of those who have studied
this matter, the question appears to re-
solve itself into this: Will Cuba be
plucked in full fruition or will 1t come to
pass that when burdened with debt,
harassed by disconnected populace, or
in the throes of revolution it will drop
like an over-ripe apple into the hands of
America