New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-12
NO NEW TTRGTNITS.

The Spanish Government has done we'll to call
halt upon Wcylerism in Cuba. 1t hesitates rs
il well may. to have repetition OF the Nirginius
affair Nor are its motives hard to guess. We
do not know that the Government of Spain Is
any more humane than 1t was In 1873. Weyler
certainly Is not He has shown himself NOT only
ready. but eager to repeat Burriels work. Left
To himself, he would doubtless have had all the
Comnetitor's men butchcred and their bodies
mutilatc,l-as Burriel did with those Of the Viz
ginius He even threatens to resign his place
il he is not allowed to do so. But the
Spanish Government calls a halt IT knows
perfectly well that while the Competitor might
readily be made new Nirginhls. the sequel 10
the slaughter would be very different in 1896
from what II was in 1S13'74 The United States
Government is moi as helpless now as it was
then It Is at this moment assembling in New
York waters a fleet that could in an hour destroy
the whole navy of Spain. Nor is it to he mag
incd that 1t would be rs patient and forbearing
as /, was. sef-respecting Government may
pardon A first offence, though gross and grlcv-
Gus. 1t will scarcely pardon wanton and def
ant repetition of 1t. 1t is not TOO much TO say
that had Weyler carried out his bloodthirsy
designs last week. war between the United
table Nor would il be a war Of formal demon
STATIONS There are too many men in this com
fry who remember the Nirginius and too many
in the services who still long to avenge that
massacre 10 make such Il war anything other
than bitter and unrelenlng to the last degree
permitted by the laws Of civilization. Spain
has done we'll 10 take these things into account
She has postponed and, it Is earnestly to be
hoped, avcrtel the danger Of war.
She has doubtless also taken account OF the
change in Great Brtain's tone and temper. \
few weeks ago, when Spanish bullring mobs
were bowling for war with the United States
because American citizens dared 10 express sym
patly with tha victims OF Spanish tyranny, the
press of England and Of all Europe was on their
side That is the case no longer This latest
proposed outrage Is too rank for the British
stomach. Besides a British subject. as we'll as
American citizens, Is in danger OF death. SO
John Bull rDars different tune. II IS true that
the pink and pugnacous GLOBE" which Is al
ways more royal than the Queen declares all
England Is Spans side. But it Is not so
one OF the most authoritative OF British jour
nals The Standard" warns Spain that per-
slstence in Weyler's course will mean utter ruin
Another, 1.-THE Daily News" exhorts the Span
iarls 10 season their natural ferocty for time
and - act like human beings. third. The
Chronicle" openly hopes the United States will
intervene. and make an end Of the abOmlnations
Of Spanish rule in Cuba. These are expressions
II the better sentiments Of the English people.
The world knows wen. moreover. how the Queen
defends and avengcs her subjects. An army has
been sent half round the world, and war de-
| clarol and wlgcd with n powerful nation. 10
| save one or two Britons lives. And Spain par
| iicularlv remembers why her butcher, Burriel,
| did not Kill all the men of the Vrginius II was
because British captain. hearing of the butch
| cry came full steam TO Santiago. and threatened
| 10 lay the town In ashes II another man was
| killed He did that without orders; but he has
never been rcbuked nor rcpudatcd for IT, We
| have an idea that the butchery OF British sub
| jcct now might call for a business visit Of a
British feet to a Cuban. II not TO a Spanish port.
| This country has no desire 10 uphold its people
| in wrongdoing II Americans go TO Cuba to
| fight against Spain. they must take the risks
| upon themselves. But Spain must treat Ameri-
| cans whom she arrests according To law and
| treaty. She must not seize unarmed and unrc-
| sistng men, rush them before drumhcad court
martial and put them to death. She must not
reckon an American citizen n traitor to Spain.
| She must not reckon an unarmed non-cOmbata mt
n bclligprent. If she persists In denying that a
| state Of war exists In Cuba. she must act as
though there We're peace there and not war.
| This country has enforced the neutrality laws
far more faithfully than any European Powers
/ would have done 1t has been patient, forbear-
| ing. moderate in tone, conciliatory in spirit
But even It's pnience and forbcarance may have
an end That end will quickly come If Spain
permits such work as her chief agent In Cuba
Is new endeavoring to do. 1t Is to be hoped
| there will be no new Vrginius
| An unusual number of accidents 70 hcycla