The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-21

Spain can act with pronptitude when it
is necessary that she shall do so. On Sept.
IL the new American Minister to Madrid.
Gen. STEWART l.. WooDFoRD, was received
by the Queen Regent ut San Sebastian,
where he presented TO her his credentials,
and delivered to her a brief and friendly
letter from President MCKINLEY. Almost
Immediately afterward Don PABLO ALzoLA
made the proposition hat Spain should
abandon Cuba, defending SILvELA's sug-
gestion to the same effect that had pre-
viously been made public, and asking If
Spain was to be turned into a madhouse.
On Sept. % the Azcarraga Ministry.
which had succeeded the Ministry of the
murdered CASovAs, resigned Office after
holding ar unsatisfactory consultation in
regard to the removal of WEYLER. On
Oct. . n Liberal Ministry was formed, with
Sehor SAGAsTA as Premier. As soon as the
new Cabinet had been organized it took up
the Cuban question, holding in view the
report Of the instructions which Gen.
WooDFoRD had received from President
MCKINLEY.
On Oct. Q the order for the recall of
WEYLER from Cuba was adopted by the
Ministry. and was Immediately signed by
the Queen Regent. Gen. RAMON BLANCo
was chosen as WEYLER's successor, and
promptly entered into arrangements for
hi sdeparture for Havana, delaying only till
he could obtain the assurance that such mill.
tary endorsements as were needed TO crush
the Cuban rebellion would be shipped at
the earliest possible moment, so as 20 be
ready for service in the winter campaign.
WEYLER's Indignation because OF his cjec-
ton from office was so great as to lead him
to declare that he would take the first
steamer from Havana for Spain, but
he received orders from Madrid to re-
main in Cuba until the arrival of his sue
cessor. We have a despatch from Havana
that he will take his departure in the last
week OF this month from the island which
he has failed to subdue, and that Gen.
BLASCo will take possession of his palace in
the first week of November. The probable.
! ity is that WEYLER will be ont OF Havana
before BIANCo gets there. for there has
been cnmity between the two men
ever since both of them were in Cuba, n
quarter Of a century ago. Dispatches from
Madrid received here soon after WEYLER's
remoyal asserted that he had been notified
by the Government that he might embark
for Spain at any time that suited his con-
venience, and upon any steamer tn at had
accommodations for him.
The incident has been one the like of
which has not often been known in the
conduct OF the Spanish Government. There
has been much more promptitudc in the
issue and the execution OF orders than
there is usually in Spain. In twenty-six
days after Gen. WooDFoRD had been re.
ceived by the Queen Regent, WEYIER was
recalled from Cuba. In six days after
the new Ministry had entered into office,
he was relieved of his commandments
out TO his dishonor. The thing could
hardly have been done more expeditiously.
1t is the habit Of Spain TO delay as long as
possible the performance of any act, or
the execution of any engagement, or the
adoption of any policy in which she may
be concerned. The ~favorite word for
Spain every day and always is "to,mor-
row." Our Government has had expc-
ricnce regarding this Spanish peculiar
ity many a time since the beginning of
the present war in Cuba. In diplomacy, In
all negotiations with foreign countries,
Spain fingers as long as lingering is posi-
Bile, and frequently until the patience of
the other party Is exhausted. She has the
same habit in the management of her
domestic affairs. Even in the conduct of
military operations she has he habit, as we
have seen for nearly three years in Cuba.
Gen. MARTINEZ CAMPos was ~slow-paced
all through the first year Of the Cuban war;
WEYLER has shufilcd and shamblcd for
twenty months. Always making promises
by which Spain has been deceived. his
career from first to last has been one of
representation, as also of impotency.
All the more wonderful is the record of
the Madrid Government for the past few
weeks. 1t is possible that the presence of
Gen. WooDFoRD at Madrid as the repre-
sentative Of President MCKINLEY may