Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-03-11
UNITED STATES AND SPAIN.


All Spain is still wildly excited over
the attitude of the United States toward
Cuba, and during the past week it has
been about all that the government
authorities have been able to do to keep
the frenzied mobs in check. The popu-
lace, it seems, is of opinion that Spain
can easily wipe this country off the map f;
but the governing class, which has more
accurate knowledge of the prowess and
resources of the United States, is not quite
so eager to undertake the job.
The action of the Barcelona mob last
week in tearing up United States flag
and stoning the house of the American
consul, was followed by prompt apology
from the government officials. The
apology did not satisfy the mob, however.
In nearly every town in Spain great mobs
have been parading the streets shouting
"Long live Spain and death to the Yam
kees." A crowd of over 10000 people
gathered in Valencia last Sunday for the
purpose of making speeches against the
United States and melting violence against
American citizens. BY order of the au-
thorities, the crowd was surrounded and
told to disperse. There was some hesita-
ton in obeying the orders, and the SOL
diers fired a volley or two. Nobody was
hurt. 1t is not thought that it was the
intention to kill. All that was desired
was to disperse the mob.
The cable dispatches Of the past few
days have contained intimations to the
effect that France has offered help to
Spain in the event of a war with the
United States. This, however, is denied
by the leading French newspapers, and
the matter gives but little concern in this
country. In the first place, nobody can
understand why France should be inter-
ested in the question and, in the second
place, everybody is satisfied that France
is not going to have any trouble with us
if she can possibly help it. She knows
too we'll that such a trouble would prove
quite serious.
The desperation of the Spaniards is
rendered more acute by the fact that the
Spanish government is absolutely bank
rupt. 1t seems impossible to float another
bond in any foreign country, and the only
way that any more money can be raised is
by a system of taxation that would amount
to confiscation, or by private contribu-
tions. The country is in sore straits.
With the final recognition of the Cubans
by the United States as belligerents, and
that recognition is surely coming is con-
ceded, it will be necessary for Spain to
blockade the whole Cuban coast. For
this she has not nearly so many ships
as will be necessary, and if she fails, the
result will be expedition after expedition
from the United States with men, arms,
ammunition and provisions enough to
finally insure Cuban independence. In
the meantime, the war in the island is
raging as tiercely as ever. Most of the
reports to this country show overwhelm-
ing Spanish successes: but it is under
stood very well that the Spaniards will
not allow Cuban victories to be cabled.
Almost everybody, even the Spaniards,
seems to be of the opinion that within
few months more the long and terrible
struggle will be over; but really, there
seems to be but little ground for believing
that the United States is going to have
any serious trouble with Spain.