The New York herald., 1872-07-05
Spain and Cuba-Public Opinion IL
Great Britain.

Great Britain.
Quite recently the London Times, in an edi-
torial commenting on the anarchy and misrule
which still exist in Cuba, and on the apparent
inability of the Spanish government to restore
order, advised Spain to cede the island of Cuba
to the United States. The Madrid Epoca,
commenting on the article in the London
Times, scorns with some emphasis the idea of
Spain parting with any of her colonial possess
sions It is not unnatural for the Spanish
people to growl at British sentiment and at the
London Times in such circumstances The
Spaniards, whatever may be said of their
power and their pluck, cannot be said to have
lost their pride; and the voluntary cession of
Cuba by Spain to the United States would i'm
ply ON amount of humiliation not compatible
with the last existing remnant of Spanish
dignity. At the same time it is not wonderful
that the London Times should have rendered
such advice as that which has given SO much
offence to the Epoca British sentiment has
changed wonderfully of late in regard to the
growing power of the United States in this
Western world, and particularly in regard to
the condition and prospects of certain portions
of the Western world which are not now, but
which ought to be, under the control of the
United States. The London Times which sell
dom fails to catch the growing popular senti-
ment of the hour, has wisely taken ground
which the British people will endorse. 1t is
felt in the three Kingdoms, as here, that the
cortiprod 1oyoirof;o, re N,,1o %bo co;rock ,,,l
richest Of the West India Islands, by Spain is
not only wrong to certain section of the
human family, but an injury to British COM
nerce. On the commercial side of things the
British people seldom judge wrongly; and the
London Times, speaking for the British COM
mercial mind, is rarely in the wrong. It
is our opinion to-day, as it has been our opin-
ion for years past, that Cuba should be the
of the United States. It is the fault
of our government to-day that such is not the
fact. Our people do not seem to see what the
British people see, that Cuba in our hands
would be gain to the wealth of the
world as well as gain to the cause of hu-
manity. Spanish rule in Cuba has become an
outrage continual outrage on all the best
instincts of the human mind Our government
has miserably failed in its policy towards Cuba.
We have looked on when we ought to have
acted We have growled when we ought to
have struck. We have sympathized when we
ought to have protected or delivered. We look
on, and continue to look on, while the barbarous
and inhuman rule of Spain in Cuba continues.
Blood, innocent blood, the blood of martyrs
and patriots, cries from that island to Heaven
for vengeance, but we will not help. If it is
the determination Of our government to do
nothing we feel that we are bound in the in
terest of humanity to call upon the Great
Powers of Europe to come forward in the in
terest of humanity and jointly protect the poor
Cubans from further suffering and sorrow.
As our government will not help we cannot
find fault if succor comes from other quarters
Much as we owe to our own nation we owe
more to humanity.