The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-18
The Civil War In spain.

The Civil War I'm Spain.
We print in another column long and in
teresting letter from the Spanish capital.
Though it records no deeds of blood and pic
lures few scenes of violence it does not lack in
interest because there are no narrowing de-
tails to recite. Our correspondent presents
clear and concise view of the Spanish situation
as he found it after spending o month in
Navarro and Guipazcoa, thence visiting
Puerta del Sol, where the socialists imperson-
ate the most baneful extreme Of the Carlist in
surrection. He states with emphasis, and what
almost every newspaper correspondent will
recognize as part of his own experience, that
the reported atrocities on either side are gen.
orally fictitious, and that ssthe horrible state of
anarchy and civil war into which Spain has
fallen" is the product of the phrase-fancier
and not the description of reality. We
congratulate Spain and Europe that the
Iberian peninsula is not yet utterly chaotic,
and that humanity still dominates all internal
strife. Civil war in any land. and prosecuted
in its mildest forms, superinduces chronic dis
order and national decay. Yet, when its
reigning incentive is to dispossess one class at
the expense of the other, it is rare exception
in history when even temporary success has
not been made the occasion of cruel butchery.
In Spain the Carlists and the republicans have
found new, and we may add very praise
worthy, way of waging civil war. 1t seems to
be agreed between the parties at issue, 'This
is fight between muskets, not between men.
Without arms in our hands we are friends
with them we do war!'' In other
words, it is simple tournament,
struggle between contending gladiators, wit
messed by an Indifferent population. Both
belligerents prepare and equip in the same
cities and only come in conflict on the field.
We do not see in this species Of warfare much
waste and destruction, save in that the
Spanish treasury is severely burdened to bat
tie with the instruction, and that European
monarchists are severely bled to sustain the
cause of Don Carlos. Of large masses of
men, of well-organized armies, of bold and
skilful leaders or of successful generals on
either side we do not hear. 1t is simply
Cuban warfare-negative in its results, tedious
and never ending-with the cruelties and
reprisals eliminated While this stupid
comedy is amusing the dreary provinces, the
political intrigues at Madrid do not encourage
us to believe that the Spanish Republic is yet
built upon durable foundations. Spain, like
the other nations of Europe aspiring for demo-
cratic rule, is cursed with theorists. When
the brilliant orator CASTELAR, could overturn
ministry by his eloquence and Danish
king by rhetorical sketch of the House of
Savoy, it did not occur to those who were
made captive by his voice that pleasing diction
and magnetic tones do not constitute wise
craftsmanship. Mirabeau, having assisted to
produce the French Revolution by his oratory,
could not stem the fury of its bloody tide;
neither could Kossuth, as President of Hun
gary, secure the independence of his native
land. It is only when trained and CONSERVE
tive statesmen like M. Theirs embrace repub-
icanism and make it the faith Of society, the
creed of their civil and religious conduct that
democracy inspires respect at home and conf
dence abrosd. Such man has not APP
peared on the surface Of Spaniah poll
tics. The name Of Marshal Serrano being
mentioned, the Countess of Montijo,
mother of the ex-Empress Of the French, told
the HERALD correspondent, "He is man
of eminent capacities and great energies,
though do not believe him to be fit for an
actual leader. He must work under some one,
or at least in the name of some one; then he is
worth any price" The Countess was not at
all reserved in her conversation with our cor
respondent and her views will be found
valuable and suggestive as those of one who
has the greatest influence with the reactionary
party. We commend the entire letter to our
readers, as giving candid and thoughtful
view of q country too republican to become
monarchy and too monarchical to become
republic.
Our Street Cleaning Forces-Cutting
on NJ tho Wrong End.
We think our new Police Commissioners
make mistake in inaugurating their reform
movement by economizing in the Street Clean
ing Department at this juncture. We are now