The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-12
SPANISH QUEENS SPEECH.
This Governments Course Declared
Correct and Friendly.

Madrid, May 1.-THE new cortes met to-
night. Great interest was manifested in
the speech from the throne opening the
session, which it was known would deal
at length with the situation in Cuba. The
speech was read in person by the queen
regent, representing the youthful king.
The queen refers to the announcement Of
the intended reforms in February last
year, and says the announcement gave
the Cubans the impulse to resort to arms
to defeat their application.
'9The reYolutiOnists seeing in the re-
forms great advantage to their country
they quickened the movement in order 10
prevent their aspiration OF creating an
independent state becoming impaired.
THE rebel chiefs, principally the for
eigners and the cOlOred, did not wait long
to say that they did not give Importance
to political, economical or administrative
reforms, no matter how liberal, even the
most extended form of local home rule, #
they had to submit to the sovereignty OF
Spain and the good and the prosperity OF
the Cubans was nothing TO them.
ION the contrary, that class OF reVolu-
tiOnists showed themselves the encOurag-
ers of the groups of bandits that formed
the neuclus of their forces, destroying
private property, burning towns without
defense and making public that they will
destroy the island If they are unable to
conquer the public power, and that they
will thereafter dispute with arms in hand
eternally.
substitution of the sovereignty of Spain
over races nearly balanced and with ire
concilahle character, there is no states
man who will not fOresee that the final
result would be that Cuba would make
step backward in civilization.
1T would be an error to imagine that
the interest of the country and commerce
in and out of the Island of Cuba could
under such conditions prosper or continue
in existence.
"The Spanish nation In the meantime Is
not going to he Indifferent the fut1Ire
of those of her sons, misguided by i'm
proVident political ambitions, and she will
not abandon the mission of civilization
that she has imposed upon herself, and
that she has to this moment accomplished
and that her history and her honor im-
pose upon her; and much less will she
deny the rights and advantages demanded
with reason to those inhabitants Of the
Antilles, who forming in the different po-
htical parties, have Indignantly condemns
ed the lnsurrectlon from the nrst mo-
ment, being morally and materially by the
side of the metropolis, and have shed
their blood for her.
Fortunately the insurrection is decreas-
ing in the opinion of the superior authori-
ty of the island and of the persons, who
can in Cuba, judge with greater certitude.
If it has not yet decreased completely
1t is due principally, as nobody can ignore.
to the great and frequent helps received
from abroad, deceived as those who favor
the revolution are, with false descriptions
of the political and administrative situa-
tlon in Cuba, making them also believe
LAdL the COuQuCL Ol destroying WnaI they
are unable to conquer, is identical with
that, which those with higher ends, with
different means and with reasonable prob
abilities of creating a new civilized nation
have practiced at other times in America
and Europe.
Even that help would not have been
sufficient to prOlong the contest if it had
not been for the chimercal hopes spread
among the insurgents that a great nation
will take in hand their illegimate and pow
erless cause with manifest violation Of the
public rights.
The correct and friendly conduct of
the Cuban insurrection is a good proof
that every day the ties of interest are de-
veloped and the friendship is closer that
unites them with Spain.
In the United States, the President and
his government have not departed from
the line of conduct that corresponds to
the loyal friendship that has existed be-
tween the two countries from the begin
ming of the existence of that republic"