New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-07
SPANISH POLICY IN CUBA.

The story of the struggle Of the Cubans 10
free themselves from Spanish rule and the
equally Intellectual efforts of the Peninsulars 10
extermnate the insurrection has grown monoto-
nous 10 the world. The interest OF other nations
can now only be directed to it by some nor
rible outrage like the murder OF the Havana
scboolboys or some measure of apparent nom
esty and justice like the order for the release
of embargoed estates Both sides seem en-
gagged in on utterly impossible enterprise
The Spaniards make no Roadway against the
instruction, and the instruction seems pow
erless to do moro than to sustain itself in the
mountains and forests of the Eastern Depart
ment. Events from the outside can alone break
the deadlock which now paralyzes the unhappy
island. The present Government In Madrid
would doubtless DO delighted to discover any
plan which should lead to peace and reconch-
iation. But the Cubans will not give up the
fight on any other basis than that OF inde-
pendence, and the Government which should
agree to that would sign its own death war
rant in Spain. The Cabinet of Madrid feels
itself forced to exhaust every means OF policy
to disarm the rebellion, and failing that, every
means OF force to crush it. Gen. J0vellar, the
new Captain-General, has just arrived In
Havana and has been received with the usual
Aatteripg courtesies by which the Peninsulars
have so often picpossessed q new commander
in their favor. He proposes to organize an
active campaign and liberal policy, but it is
difficult to see what he can accomplish with
either in the present state of affairs.
This dual purpose of the Government is seen
in two recent dispatches from Spain. On the
LIST of November Senior Soler the Minister of
the Colonies, embarked at Cadiz for Cuba and
Porto Rico, and two days afterwards 400
soldiers left the same port to reinforce the
Spanish troops now operating against the III
surgents. The Minister goes to study and to
reconcile and the troops go to cStermlnate,
and neither will accomplishing end proposed
The troops will be spent IN the way in which
80 many thousands have already gone, falling
victims to the climate, to rebel bullets to dis
eases bred of fatigue and exposure. The Min
lister will make rapid tour through the Island,
will visit few plantations and sugar
houses. will assist at innumerable sere-
nades and reviews, will mako some
dozens of speeches in which he will allude to
Spanish valor and the sword of Guzman, and
then he will go back to Spain no more pre-
pared to deal with this thorny question than
if he had never come He will be surrounded
from the hour of his landing to hi, departure
by leading Peninsulars. All disagreeable in
formation will be kept stullously away from
him. The native Cubans who are not directly
COMPROMISED in the instruction will take
very good care to avoid telling him truths
which may injuro them, and those who are
COMPROMISED can have no access to him. 1t
is hard to see how this long and labOrious
Journey, undertaken with the best intentions,
can result in any good.
1t is in fact scarcely question for states
manship 1t is situation of force and fatality
The wisest of men could do nothing with it.
unless he were empowered also to change the
minds and hearts of millions of mon. Cuba is
lost to Spain, and Spain will not admit it.
The Spanish people will not permit the Gov
eminent to admit it. For the CASTELAR, Govern
ment to do anything looking toward acknOwl-
edging the independence of the Island would
be an act of official suicide and would gravey
compromise the perpetuity of the Republic
Nothing but some now unforeseen shock from
the outside could loosen the grappe in which
Cuba and Spain hold each other. 1t does not
as yet appear that the case of the Virgnius is
enough to serve for the Deus &c mnchinG to
solve the difficulty If the capture of the YES
sci could be proved to be illegal, either from
its nearness to the Island of Jamaica or for
any other reason, the Intervention of the
United States or of England might create a
situation which would result in something
definite. But with our present information,
there seems no prospect of any speedy change
in situation which the world contemplates
with an indignation which is becoming weari
ness.
AN ADMINISTRATION SUCCESS.