The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-11-04
A SORRY SPECTACLE.
The Downfall of Spain Seems TO
Be Imminent.
Her Army Used Up, Her Credit Gone,
Her Resources Wasted.

for the tragedy of the times. Her over
weening vapity and abject poverty, her
warlike ululations and military rnisadven-
lures, her internal perils and external trou-
bles, her Carlists and her anarchists the
wrecking OF her treasury, the battling OF
her armies the prostration OF her power
and tho cries of her people, furnish ma.
terial for chapters I'm the history of the age
such as can bs written Of no other Euro
pean county, Turkey excepted.
1t now appears that Premier Canovas
has sent word to the bungling commander
at Havana that the Cuban insurrection
must be suppressed without further delay.
Ii also appears that the premier has given
formal notice through communication in
his Madrid organ that, though his efforts
10 secure foreign loan have failed, 1t Is
Imperative that money shall be procured
in some way from somewhere.
But how can Weyler obey orders for tho
prompt suppression of the ever increasing
Cuban rebellion, and in what way Is 1t
possible to replenish the all enguldng
Spanish treasury:
So many troops have already been sent
20 Havana that Spain Is unable to bear a
further drain upon her manhood, and In
case the Carlists were 10 carry out their
threat of rising in revolt she would he
utterly unable to offer them battle, much
less to carry on long campaign against
them, like that of some years ago. When
Spain ships TO Cuba the regiments prom
ised for next month, or for December,
nearly the entire body Of recruits raised
by the conscription Of 1896 will be engaged
In foreign wars, fighting in Cuba and In
the Philippines, campaigning in the West
Indies and the East Indiessistruggling to
retain for Spain those meager colonial
possessions which are yet in her grasp.
Let Spain's troops meet with such misfor-
tunes in the coming winter as they have
heretofore met with and Spain will have
To take her place among the countries that
have been subverted and shattered. 1t
may bo expected that the totterng throne
will fall, and that the queen regent and
her royal son will be compelled to take
refuge beside the aged and dethroned lsa-
bella III in France, rich IN the inheritances
Of the crown, but discredited before the
world
1t might be inferred from the military
statistics recently published at Madrid
that only $50, 900 Spanish troops had been
employed i'm the Cuban war. This may be
tho number of men transported from
Spain to Havana since March of last year,
makes no reference 70 the regiments that
wero In Cuba at the outbreak OF the war
or To the SO called volunteers who have
been enlisted in Cuba for the Spanish
service. After taking account of these,
there is full justification for the statement
that ns many as ego 600 men carrying the
Spanish colors have been engaged In the
work of trying TO suppress the Cuban in
surrection.
The results have been most discouraging
to Spain. In the eight months Of Weyler's
military administration, with this great
army under his command, he has accom-
plishod nothing for his government. He
has issued savage DEGREES, which have in
creased the hatred Of Cuba for Spanish
rule, and he has enforced those decrees in
a manner which has more than sustained
Spain . reputation for relentless cruelty In
war While thus engaged this bastard has
seen the revolutionary army constantly
growing In numbers and strength and
steadily extending the territory Under the
control of its commanders.
All the time, too. the outlook gets
gioomier for Spain N Cuba. She may fight
through the coming winter under Weyler,
but the war must be one of despair When
the forces Of Gomez Maceo and Garcia
shall bo united near Havana and shall bo
able TO make use of the artillery which
has come into their possession, struggle
for the mastery of the capital will doubt
less be tho next thing heard of. And who
would attempt to forecast the fortune OF
Spain In such struggle 1t might be
foreseen II one could anticipate even par
tial uprising OF the Cuban patriots living
uneasily in Havana. In the event Of an
uprising on Gheir part 1t would be safe to
look for the appearance of the revolution
ary flag upon the Spanish ramparts at the
Cuban capital.
As to the treasury of Spain, the premier
Ia In quandary. He says he hopes that
the railway companies will fuxaish loan.
and he adds, "If we should vainly exhaust
our foreign resources i rely upon the pa
triotism of the country To provide finally
the means to crush the rebellion IN Cuba
and the Philippine islands. " But Cano-
vas has appealed Co tho railway companies
every day for months past only to see their
backs turned upon him. lie had previous
ly appealed, again and again, TO the pa
triotism of Spain, without ever securing
the pesetas for which he begged. The
Spanish people are angry with the govern
ment, which has already impoverished
them, and there IL not any likelihood that
they will hereafter give t tho desired sup
plies, however desperate may be its straits.
In the absence of funds spain will lose
Cuba and the Philippines, besides great
deal more, II not even a hopeful sprig of
royalty.
IL is hard to see what old Spain will try
next, or what further sacrifices she can
make The wisost one among her states
men has already told her that she must
cease to make war in support of her pro-
tcnses and must surrender Cuba II she
would save her life.--New York sun.
An idle woman's View Of tho Sultan.
According to "Ihe Diary of An Idle