Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-04-13
ANXIOUS FOR WAR.
Masses of People In Spain En-
ragged With United States.
Will Surely Go to War Rather Than
Give Up Island Of Cuba.
Not Posted On Our Resources and Think
Can Easily Whip Us.

New York. April u = The Herald
says: Hobart Chatfield Chatfeld-Tay-
Tor, who was for years the representa-
tive of Spain in Chicago and who en-
tertained the lnfanta Eulalie when she
visited the Worlds Fair, arrived with
his wife. Saturday. on the steamship
New York from Southampton. ! had a
very interesting interview with him
about the feeling of the Spanish peo-
pie and leading public men toward the
United States
we sailed from here on the Kaiser
Wilhelm on December l said Nj. Chat
field -Tayln and a month later we
went to Madrid. where we had the
honor of being presented to the Queen
Regent and the Infanta Isabel. The
inf@nta f,ulalie was in Paris.
We left Madrid just before the Bar
celona riots but in the meantime saw
and heard enough IL convince me that
the Spanish people. and particularly the
Spanish press. feel very bitter against
the United States. Their. does not
seem TO be any question that Spain will
fight us if she must The Spaniards are
a very proud and sentimental people.
! ft-y IttI tIiit lil- .sttitfiLttnS sitt
grateful: that the discovery of this
continent was made through the favor
of Ferdinand and lsablia. and that If
Spain is not the mother of our country
she is at least our ancestor.
AS to Cuba, there is only one senti-
ment in Spain-that the Spanish race
must shed it's last drop Of blood rather
than part with that island. | believe
that Spain can put down the present
Cuban rebellion if our government does
not interfere. Spain has made very
rapid progress in education, finances
and otherwise since the Cuban rebellion
of 1878. Senior CASTELAR,. who was presi-
dent of the Spanish Republic of 1870.
said to me-
The Americans do not understand
the Spanish people. | have always
favored republican ideas. but | accepted
monarchy because ii granted what the
republic struggled for in vain-religious
freedom and universal suffrage. Spain
has as much freedom as England or
the United States.
For my part | think the Spaniards
have as much freedom on paper as the
two countries Senior Castelar, named
but in reality they enjoy as much free
dom as the people of other Continental
countries. OF course their condition
cannot be compared with ours.
Nevertheless. there are no such in
trigues in Spain today as there We're
in the reign of Isabella H. Spain was
the last country in Europe 20 wake up
but since the awakening her progress
has been wonderful. | talked with
such political leaders as Senior Sagasta
of the liberals: Senior Moret. former
minister of foreign affairs. and Senior
Silvela. one of the leading conserva-
tives.
They all possess far better under
standing of the United States and the
American reople than our politicians
possess of Spain. Senior Moret showed
not only an intimate knowledge of
American political methods. but of
American humor especially of political
humor, cartoons. &c. At the Athenaeum
Club he laughed with me over the files
of one of our comic weeklieS.
The masses OF the Spanish people
have very little knowledge. however, of
the extent of our country Their states
men know the gravity of war with
tt' itlt'b Stats anu mol one Oh tileln
thinks that Spain would have even "A
chance of victory. The bulk of the peo-
pie think Spain has nothing to lose and
much TO gain ly fighting us.
Because they have little commerce,
as compared with ours. they think they
could tit out privateers to prey upon
our merchant marine. The Spanish
press has tecmed with absurdities
about America and the Americans.
Their favoritc cry is that we are a
commercial people and that as soon as
stocks fall in Wal street we will cry
Thought
Senior Castelar, and all the other
politicians say that the Cuban ins,,r
gents are nothing but bandits and
%ucrillas. They do not recognize the
rebellion as war. They say it is moth
ing but riot and insurrection. and that
it Will soon be ended"