Evening star., 1896-02-24
THE FRIENDS OF SPAIN
Their Energies to Be Concentrated on
the House to Prevent Action.
Severance Of Diplomatic Relations
able TO the Insurgents fs Made.

Those who oppose action by this govern.
ment favorable to Cuba are preparing to
concentrate their energies on the House
Tho Senate, they see, is beyond their con-
troll; but If they can make an impression
On the House which shall serve either to
modify the Senate's deliverance IN some
way. or delay action until late day In the
season, they will feel that they have gain
ed a point. Gen. Weyler is calculating on
two full months of campaigning before the
rainy season begins and in that time he
hopes, If not checked by outside lnterfer-
ence in Cuba's behalf. to deliver some tell
ing blows against the insurgents.
The Spanish Case.
The Spanish case is presented in terms
like these: Why call upon Spain to abandon
the island? She will not do it. She has de-
ciared much twenty times over. All
parties and factions at home are united on
the proposition to bring the insurgents
under. Gen. Campos, even, in disgrace as
he Is in Madrid, holds that the war must
be put down. He insists that it is war
and that the methods of procedure should
be those Of humanity and civilization, bu,
he advocates the re-establishment Of The
Spanish power over the sections of the Is
land that are in revolt. Why, the ad9o-
Gates of non-action ask, therefore, should
the Congress formally urge something GER
tain TO be denied?
Diplomatic Relations May he Severed
Their second question is, can this govern
ment hope to continue diplomatic inter-
course with Spain after such deliverance?
If the House ratifies what the Senate seems
almost certain to send it, will not Minister
de LONE be instructed to Immediately ask
for his passports and to return home? Then
Minister Tavlnr will return here. and the
most strained relations between the two
governments will exist. While it is conced-
cd that war need not follow, 1t is yet in
sisted that il would be rendered extremely
likely. The activity of the friends of Cuba
in this country would greatly increase, as
would the vigilance Of the Spanish sea pa
troll TLe liability Of collisions growing out
of the exercise of the right of search by
Spanish commanders would become SO
great, some circumstance, uifling in itself.
might set the two countries at any time by
the ears.
Friends Of Cubn Not Afraid of the
Result.
This is the argument to be used with
members of the House against ratitica-
ton of what the Senate is expected to do.
The friends of Cuba do not fear the result
at all. The House, unless they are very
much misinfo, med, is quite as we'll dis
posed toward Cuba as Is the Senate. The
Hit, chairman of the foreign affairs COM
mittee, has shown himself in both the Ven
ezuelan and the Bayard matters to be thor
oughly in touch with the awakened spirit
of the country on the subject of the coun-
try's aims and aspirations in foreign af-
fairs. Why labor with these men and their
colleagues on any such lines? Why COW
ertly threaten them with the severance of
diplomatic relations with Spain, or even
with possible war? If the Senate which is
calculating all contingencies, is not to be
moved by such threats, why is it expected
that the House will be?
Sure of the President.
The friends of Spain seem to feel sure of
the President, although no word of his is
quoted to warrant a positive assertion that
he cannot be brought to look with favor on
the Cuban cause. The confidence felt is
thought to be based only on the strict en-
forcement of the neutrality laws on which,
from the first, he has insisted. That how
ever, was plainly his duty. The friends Of
Cuba themselves do not crit;cise him on
that point. They only ask that he assist in
such recognition of the insurgents now as
will put them on an equality with Spain in
the enjoyment of privileges in this country.