The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-26
The Republic OF spain-Is . RcPub-
lie Possible ON the Continents

hc Possible ON the COntinents
In the dissolution of the Permanent Com
mittee Of the Assembly the republican govern
ment Of Spain has done bold and hazardous
| act. We must recognize that this advisory
Committee was left BY the radical or monarch
ical majority Of the late Cortes as watch
and restraint upon the free action Of the
present government. It was the last feeble
endeavor of the Gorilla party to stay the
influx of republicanism. As mere incon-
venience it might have been submitted to
until the coming elections in May had not the
Committee made clean breach with the
Ministry by refusing to recognize Pi Mar
gall as the temporary substitute for Figueras
| during his late domestic affection. The popu-
lace of Madrid, like that Of all the large cities
OF Spain, strongly favors the government, and
the late tumults have shown that Madrid, like
| Paris in 1893, was determined not to allow
any distractions to the march of its pet ideas.
Hence the riotous demonstrations against the
| Committee. The prudence or otherwise OF
the government in dissolving the COM
mittee cannot be easily judged at
this distance, and scarcely in Madrid.
1t is clear, however, that it has acted
under the coercion of the Reds, no matter
how much the act was in sympathy with its
own real DESIRES and to obey mob is the
most dangerous of all governmental weak
nesses. 1t could not hesitate. 1t was
question of championing body of grumbling
enemies of the Republic against the fierce
frieads Of ultra republicanism or of
abolishing the Committee to preserve
the confidence Of the dangerous Reds.
1t chose the latter alternative but it remains
to be seen whether the victorious mob will
allow the government it has once controlled
to stop short in obeying its further and wilder
behests The crisis is terrible one for the
young Republic. Unless the elections are
reached in peace the future Of Spain may pre-
sent many scenes from which humanity must
turn aside sick at heart The mob has risen
and been obeyed, and it may not be long
before the temperate, well-intentioned govern
ment may find in its present friends bitter
foe and relentless master.
The difficulties that have surrounded the
Republic from the beginning are dishearten-
ing. We can well understand how Mr.. Cas-
telar, in the speech which our correspondent
reports in his letter from Madrid, published
in another part of the HERALD, should have
passionately rebuked the apathy ana unkind-
ness Of the Assembly towards the government;
but yet it was in the nature Of things. The old
Cortes was chosen to support the dynasty Of
| Savoy. 1t contained majority of monarchists
| The Republic had been proclaimed really
- IL g. IL
ish events clearly will see that behind the As
sembly was pubic opinion that could not
be resisted-a public opinion that saw no peace
for Spain but in q republic. Men holding
power do not surrender it willingly Even
when the substance departs the shadow
remains with all its illusions. The Cortes
chung to power with desperation. The radical
majority could not believe that it was
dead to them, and that they could
at best only hold its ifeless body in
cold embrace. This is the experience of all
revolutions. Statesmen as general thing
statesmen, at least, of the class of Sermno ~and
zorrilla- yield too late.
The most gratifying point in the republican
victory is the circumstance that it was achieved
by moral pressure. The outbreaks in Spain
since the advent of the Republic have hitherto
been the work of the monarchists. In
the north the partisans of Don Carlos are in
terrupting trade, tearing up the railway tracks.
taking travellers prisoners for purposes Of
ransom, levying tribute upon peaceful villages
and destroying industry. While we have
an alien Bourbon prince making war
| Spanish noblemen live in Paris and sup
port him with money. 1t is the old
| emigration over again of the great
revolution. This is the principal cause Of the
unrest and misery in Spain, and we have little
doubt that more has been lost to the nation in
material wealth and prosperity from the ambi-
ton of this Prince than would suffice to take
| Spanish credit from the mire and gain for it
the confidence of Europe and the world.
So long as there is one crown and three pre-
| tenders to it there will be wars of succession
and internal strife for supremacy. There
is only one form of government that does not
admit of pretenders-the Republic The
question arises, Is Spain fit for republic?
We in America are in the constant habit of
asking questions of this kind about European
! countries. We have the theory some
how that republicanism is superior
kind of government, fitted alone for
superior kind of people Men cannot
live in high places unless they can breathe
rarefed air. 1t leads to insanity and intoxica-
ton Of spirits and consequent excuses. So,
when nations suddenly reach the high table
lands of liberty, there result the Reign of
Terror the chaos Of the Commune and SO on.
Not being insensible to considerations Of ma
tonal vanity we deduce the argument that we
alone are fit for this supreme political felicity,