Evening star., 1896-01-21
Significance Of the Demonstration
Of the People of Havana.
His POLICY EVIDENTLY APPROVED
Neither Cancellation or Slaughter
Can Now Be Effective.
T r e EDOM ONLY LEFT

The description Of the departure of Gen.
eral Campos from Havana throws addition
al light on the Cuban situation. The dem
onstration was one of great warmth and
sincerity. All classes. soldiers and civil
ians; men in office and men out
Of office, joined in testifying to the
unqualified respect in which the famous
commander is held on the island. In it's
size and cordiality, indeed, the demonstra-
ton was in the nature of fiat reputation
OF the action of the home government in
ordering General Campos back to Spain.
His Policy Approved.
Something may be allowed for the fer
vor of the Spanish nature. A certain SYM
pathy. of course. would go out to any man
Of eminence SO suddenly stripped of office.
But this would never take on the aspect Of
enthusiasm, even in a Spanish country,
where the man so humiliated had deserved
his fate. The people of Havana, natives
and Spanish born alike, have been on the
scene and have observed the daily walk of
General Campos, and when, as happened
yesterday. they follow him to the very wa
terside and deafen him with cheers as he
boards his snip for home. there can be no
donbt OF their approval of all that he has
don,. And it likewise makes good what
General CamDos himself stoutly asserts
that the Madrid authorities refuse to take
ODSerV-
er OK the island is forced tn take Concili-
alton and not slaughter was his own first
recommendation after looking over the
scene, and for adhering to that he has been
displaced from command.
Spain's Difficulty Now.
Spain's difficulty now is that neither the
one policy nor the other can be success
fully applied. Even If the Madrid authori-
ties reluctantly concede the point made by
(ov,
eordingly. conciliaticn cannot now win
It might have won ten months ago. But
the revolution Is now almost an accom-
plisted fact. The friends of Cuba have
passed the pofEt of pleading for reform.
They feel themselves able to set up a gov
eminent OF their own and to institute all
the reform Lecessary in their own name
AS Tor mere blood-the revolving and in
discriminate slaughter of men for the pur-
pose of striking terror to the hearts Of the
insurgents-that is a game at which two
may play If one Is permitted to begin it.
But 1t is not thought probable that even
Spain will be foolhardy enough to inaug-
urate that policy. The first crimson stroke
would not only cost her the sympathy of
the few who now support her in this coun-
try, but at the same time would intensity
the impatience Of the great majority Of the
people clamoring, rs matters now stand,
for tie authorization of open assistance to
Cuba. :sz---s,--
Nothing Left but Freedom.
What is there left. the friends of Cuba
are asking, but freedom? Gen. Campos
comes and investigates, and declares, even
at the loss Of his sword, against brutal
subtugation The people of Havana, al
though many of them are grappled to the
home country by hooks of gold and busi-
ness. sustain Gen.. Campos. Outside of
Havana and one, or two other cities the
people, who are really the representative
people of the island, demand Independent
government. The Madrid politicians have
no support except at home. They remain
deaf alike to the autonCmists and to the
friends of freedom The autonomists are
mere advisers, and powerless- at that The
cor test, ther efore, is now between the men
who would have Cuba free and the men
who would reduce her to subjection 10
Spain by the employment of the most in
human agencies. Can such contest long
remain in doubt? Will the United States
permit it to proceed to any length? Will
not the first head struck off by butchers
stroke plead so eioqnently for the island
that freedom will date virtually from that
day?