The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-08-08
SPANS WEAK POINT.


The outbreak of public disturbances
in Spain, as a consequence of the pro-
longation Of the war in Cuba, was ex-
actly what might be expected. Ma
tional pride will go a long way, but
there comes a time always when the
people upon whom are placed all the
burdens of a hopeless and apparently
endless contest rebel against the impo-
sition. No populace will assent to a
condition of perpetual warfare, for
which it has to contribute the funds
by taxation. Spain is today one of the
most poverty-ridden and debt-ridden
countries in the world. Resources are
scanty, taxes are high, and revenue suf-
ceedingly difficult to collect The poo
pie of that country, who are ground to
the earth for the support of a govern
ment whose value is not apparent to
them, and with which many of them
are not in sympathy, are now confront
ed with the necessity of furnishing hun
dreds of millions more of treasure an
nually to keep up a futile struggle.
They know that the conquest of Cuba
has been proved impossible. They know
that the ablest captains of Spain, sup
piled with all the troops that they re-
Quired, have been unable to make any
Roadway in the island. They know
that the people Of Cuba, outside of the
nf nd fIa
districts, where military forces keep
them in check, are unanimously on the
side Of the insurgents. They know
that the only thing that can be done
in Cuba is for a sufficiently large force
to be placed there to absolutely annihi-
late the native population and reduce
the country to a desert. Short of that
1t has become apparent that nothing
will break the spirit of the Cubans or
pesuade or compel them to cease
their resistance.
In either event, the Spanish taxpayer
has nothing to gain. The prolongation
of this useless and now criminal strug-
gle simply offers to him huge bill to
any compromising advantage. He has
his own problems to struggle with, his
own grievances to remedy and his own
future to care for. Cuba is a long way
off, and it's value to him is chiefly as
contributor to the national revenue.
Now that this instruction has de-
stroyed its capacity in that direction
and made it a revenue eater, the Span
lsh people are beginning to be willing
to let go the costly incumbrance Every
great contest at arms shows this symp-
tom toward its close. There comes a
time when the masses of the people of
that side which is getting the worst of
1t will no longer consent, in behalf of
an empty glory, to impose upon them
selves intolerable burdens They then
become the real peacemakers. Neither
the forces of the insurgent chiefs nor
the sympathy of the United States is
likely to be as powerful In terminating
the war in Cuba as the growing dis
content of the people Of Spain. The
government of that country is none too
firmly seated at best. It is in no DO
sition to deal with another revolution.
or general revolt among it's subjects.
AS soon as the danger Of that becomes
apparent its political leaders will take
hasty warning and proceed to make the
best terms that they can to cover their
retreat from the fair island which they
have devastated and oppressed This
is natural retribution. The symptoms
now apparent among the Spanish peo
pie indicate strongly the loosening Of
the last hold of that decrepit monarchy
upon the brave people who have been
so long its prey