The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-13
THE SPANISH QUEENS SPEECH.

Queens speeches are not noted for
frankness, but they are not often as dis
ingenious as that read by the Queen Of
Spain at the opening of the Cortes on
Monday. Among other things it declared
that Spain had fulfilled beyond meas
ure the promises she made to the Gu
bans after the first rebellion" This is
not true. The former rebellion was
brought to an end mainly through the
promise by Spain of material reforms.
including a large degree of home rule.
After the insurgents had disbanded the
Spanish government. with characteristic
duplicity, delayed making the promised
reforms until the Cubans concluded
there was no intention of carrying them
out. Meanwhile, business and economic
conditions in Cuba were growing worse
by the Spanish government upon Cuba's
trade relations with other countries. FL
nally, in December. 1894, the Spanish
Cortes agreed to allow limited degree
of self government to the\people Of Gu
ba, but, besides being meager, the con-
cession had been withheld too long and
came too late. The present rebellion be-
gan in February, 1895. Since then Spain
has made some further overtures in the
direction Of home rule for Cuba, but
overtures made in the face of winning
rebellion could hardly be expected to re-
ceive much consideration from the in
surgents.
Again, the Queens speech says: 1.-THE
correct and friendly attitude of the South
and Central American republics in the
presence of the Cuban rebellion serves
to prove that each day develops still
more the interests binding them to
Spain" The idea that the Central and
South American states have any inter-
ests binding them to Spain is absurd.
Their affection for the mother country
did not prevent them from throwing off
the Spanish yoke sixty or seventy years
ago, and they have never shown any love
for it since. They have refrained from
recognizing the Cuban insurgents be-
cause they have been waiting for the
United States to take the initiative. If
this government should recognize the in
surgents as belligerents every Central
and South American state would do SO
| Immediately.
| The Queens statement that Cuba
could not prosper with independence, T"
and If the rebellion triumphed ''she
| would take a step backward in civiliza-
| ton, interest. industry and commerce"
| is an amazing exhibition of Spanish AFRO
gance and vanity. 1t is much as If the
| Sultan of Turkey should declare that
| the true interests and real salvation of
| Armenia lay in remaining subject to
Turkey. The truth is there is scarcely
another spot of equal area and natural
advantages on the face Of the globe that
| has been more persistently and infa-
mously misgoverned, plundered, abused
and despoiIed than Cuba has been by
| Spain. What Cuba might become If in
| dependent is, of course, matter of con-
| lecture, but what it has been under
| Spanish rule is matter of history, and
| it could not we'll be worse. The Queen
says Spain cannot abandon the civiliz-
| ing mission imposed on it by its history
and honor" After more than three hun
dred years spent in tcivilizing" Cuba the
| result is before the world in the worst
governed colony on earth. The friends
of liberty and civilization would like to
observe the contrast Of century or two
| of ipdependence