The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-10
SOMEASPECTSOF CANOvAS.
IMPRESSIONS OF a CUBAN GEN.
TLEMAN no KNEW HIM.

ADJUST, 1890. An interesting discovery had
been made a Few years oe'ore OF some private
letters addressed ny inc eIea' spanish oremat
LIST OF the seventeenth century, Lope de vega, to
his patron, the Duke OF sesse' In winch unex-
pected light was thrown upon the lie and morals
Of the spaniards OF that time; and as the letters
proved that Lope oe Vega, IN spite OF his genius,
his profession as a CathoIo priest and his title
Of Member OF the lnquisition' was M prurient
and debased as the majority OF his contemuo-
raries. the Spanish Academy following the old
Spanish habit Of eensorshtp against historical
and political revelations, decided that the valu-
able historical DOCUMENTS hnouio never % puo-
ushed.
Senior Csnovas' In his rich private library, had
. oomplete copy OF al these papers, besides
original manuscripts OF ervantos and Calderon.
which added important evidence 70 Lopes ietters
to Sessa. To obtain from tho Primo hlinistor,then
IN power. a permission 70 look over these histor-
Teal treasures, 1 called on MIN, armed with o
letter OF Introduction from the famous Spanish
sayant Don Marceltno Menendes Pelayo.
In 1888 an uncle OF mine nad been q member
OF Senior canovas's Cabinet a. sub'secretary of
the Colonies. Another uncle held at Madrid for
alonger time the important ONCE OF Counsellor
OF State under Canovass Administration NY
father. strongly opposed to the Conservative
and pro-spanish ideas OF his two near relatives.
and q Cuban revolutionist all his life, longing
for the freedom of his country. was the hrst to
propose 70 CehoVes' III 100 INC anoepehoenee
Oh Suoe W purcn"so y opa.n
WIN ~ 'neso "0uOU ~ M iavoi, u
prouo pon ,NNs, A 1I,v en .I."NuN
An - " i.o ,o.eoe
n mrs inpFesoin nau On - ~ Lu.s siDoo ol
oia pA,a. " 49, sno.-e"
aont 81 = %lNa. W. an..ssa =. 49, ,m' ~
I eolonlo>. y .no oss'uo |. y IN an
AnClohb AVo AiSA ehN ~ WV osuAN
son.iheis VI SuH ~ ~ rMo'
ana posteo, IN . unnorm, ~ n W.ue Upon
ooor' oohtfi'u'e" Auf'n0A No "SAs ~
peareno"
"hen . "Soenueo INC ions st1noase anu
feeeneo .ne man hoor' .he uhhor"ea por.els
Meioomoa me with une1pecteo marks OF respect
ono OF them. opening . door. showed mo INTO
very iaIRe rooni' oro"uou WIN persons VI Inv
mo.t impressi1e eppo"Eenoe, s"en ous.onhoieS
tun OF decorations. 1 was estonisneo' oeneVihs
That oy some mintake my humoie sen nao inter
tupteo an lmpoftant meeting oi inc oipiometo
pody, out netofe oouio make any eApieneton
OF apology the eame porter, "no eusmenseom my
Wonoer oy powing community sho"eo me 10 an
otner room. ! iouno mysen IN the presence OK
tne count Oh oese Mranah' oano'ess ihnuen-
rial secretary.
II ann glad" ne SAID pointins 70 Inc next
room. -tnhs Jou were not confounoeo WIN mat
Sabele."
"who are theyf I asked. moro astonished
than ever.
"They are ofaceseekers," he answered.
"And to what do I owe the fact that I was not
COMPOUNDED with theml Fit In through your
kindness-"
The Count looked at ne from head to foot, and
interrupted my sentence with O hearty laugh.
"My dear man. he replied, throwing mo into
deeper eonfuaion. "you ara dressed in the regu.
lar uniform of q Deputy at the Cortes."
I did not know It. [ was in evening dress,
with a black necktie, which il distinctive In
Madrid OF tho members of Parliament. My IL.
norance Of Spanish court habits saved me,
therefore, great annoyance before my frat meet
ing with the Primo Minister.
~ When q few moments later I sent from the
Counts office to sefor Canovas my card and
Menendez Pelayo's letter, I was shown to the
Primo Minister'S office through the same
.rabblo," and at q glance I recognized two faces
very familiar in Havana. Both men were aftel
Offices again in Cuba and both got them. One Of
them made in less than a year 81, 600. 900 from
his plunderings. The other became famous
Appointed chief of q department of taxes BY
Senor Canovas, his duty was to receive all tax
payers calling ON him during certain hours. He
placed O box at one side Of bis door with thil
notice: Before entering tho office of the chile
Of this department put S. in here"
I had the opportunity that day of seeing Sehol
Canoyas in his moro amiable aspects as O schola,
and q historian. II am glad" no said to me
"to have como opportunity after these dis
agreeable calls from oficesoekers to speak OIL
bome subjects dear to me. You can imagine how
am bothered by the fact that 20 per cent. o
the spaniards pay the budget and tho remaining
so per cent. 1.-Two on tho budget"
Those who knew him will not wonder at thest
words. Canovas del Castillo was o representa-
tive spaniard. and no spaniard In private con
versation fails to recognize tho plumbers OF hi
people. Bartrina. q poet OF Barcelona. depicte'
this characteristic OF his countrymen In the fol
lowing lines: IF you hear q man speaking
against Germany DO sure that he Ii q French
man. II he speaks against France he Ii prot
ably an Englishman. But IL no speaks agains
Spain. don't doubt 1t, he Ia q Spaniard |"
That first interview lasted moro than tw
hours. The Spanish ruler forgot where he wa