New-York tribune., 1896-04-14
THE SPANISH ELECTIONS.

The result Of the general election which was
held on Sunday in Spain, Is not yet fully known
Enough has, however, been reported to Indicate
a political revolution scarcely less striking than
that Of last year in Great Britain. The Cortes
CONSTITUENCIES contains 431 Deputies. or these
the Conservatives. or present Government party
appear to have elected large majority What
that means may be seen when we remember
that at the last election. in March, 1S93 the
Conservatives returned only AZ Deputies, while
the Liberals swept the country with 33s. in
Guiding IL "Possibillsts." followers OF Sehor
CASTELAR,. who Ioined the Liberal ranks upon the
retirement of their leader from active politics.
To swell a minority Of ~ to n majority of from
$50 to 215 is a great performance of which
Senior Canovas del Castillo may well he proud.
Making all due allowances for fraud and force,
which seem TO have been prevalent at the polls.
this result indicates wholesale turning OF the
Spanish people away from the Liberalism OF
Seilor Sagasta 10 the Conservatism OF the pres
ent Government There are predictions that the
Conservative majority will prove unstable, and
that a crisis will soon occur. Perhaps so. The
Spaniards are n fckle folk In such matters. But
with a good working ma ajoriy over all. and with
the Opposition divided into three or four petty
factions Sehor Canovas del Castillo ought 10
be able to retain power for a considerable time.
The chief significance OF this result OF the
elections Is. however. In relation 10 Cuba. The
Conservative victory means that the people ap-
prove the Governments policy. and desire
prosecution OF the war 10 the bitter end on the
lines laid down by General Wcyler. That was
the one great issue In the campaign IL was
well known that Liberal victory would mean
the recall OF General Weylcr. and an attempt
10 pacfy Cuba by the granting OF some meas
ures Of reform Such an attempt might not
have succeeded But II would have been made.
Against 1t. and against all such schemes. the
Spanish nation has now rendered an unmisiak-
able verdict. The electors Of Spain want Cuba
retained as Spanish province. They want II
kept under the same old rule OF Injustice and
oppression And they want the present insur
rection crushed no matter how harsh may be
the necessary means
Elections were held In Cuba. also. as well as
In Spain itself Perhaps It would be better 10
say something called elections. Free choice Of
representatives by the people there was not.
There could not be- The Of the people
did not vote. We are not sure tina, any one
voted Some days ago various candidates were
put forward, with General Wcylsr's approval.
all Of them being his political and military sup
portcrs. On Sunday they were all declared To
have been duly elected. There are thirty or more
Of them. Two are said TO have been born in
Cuba few more have visited that Island.
Others are Spanish politicians al Madrid or else
where, who probably could not have got elected
in the Peninsula, and who. therefore. got Wcy-
Ter to elect them from Cuba Such Is the repre-
scntation the Ever Faithful Isle' is permitted
TO have and such alone for years 1t has been
permitted to have. in that Government to which
II contributes many times It's proper proportion
Of revenue
Despite their farccal character In Cuba and
their sternly rcactonary result In Spain. how
ever these elections will not have been held In
vain. They will be productive Of much good
They will reveal to the whole world the real
spirit and intent OF Spain toward Cuba. They
will demonstrate the hopelcssness OF any at
tempt TO secure justice for Cuba through peace
full means. They will, above all else strengthen
the determination OF the Cuban people to perse
we're in their present struggle until their inde
pcndence Is attained. There Is to he an anti
Cuban majority In the Cortes mt Madrid There
should be- and doubtless will be, an overwhclm
ing anti-Spanish majority in the whole island
of Cuba and IT will be majority expressed In
bullets instead Of In ballots.