The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-08
Tho Hostile Intentions Imputed to
Spain.

SPaihs
Again there is q rumor current that
Spain purposes to assert the right to search
American vessels for contraband of war,
and to justify her course by laying before
the other European powers proofs Of our
alleged encouragement of filibustering ex.
petitions. According to the report, the
offence which would be thus given to the
United States is deliberately meant to
provoke a declaration of war on our part,
the Madrid politicians being convinced
that the loss of Cuba is inevitable, and
that they must seem to yield to over
whelming force in order to arouse popular
sympathy and save the monarchy from
catastrophe. We do not believe that the
rumor has any foundation, or that any in
telligent partisans of the present dynasty
are actuated by the preposterous motive
which is attributed to them.
Nothing could come of an appeal on the
part of Spain to other European powers on
the ground of our pretended violations of
international law. 1t would be easy for
our diplomatic representatives at foreign
capitals to show that we have used, not
merely due diligence, but extraordinary
vigilance, to prevent the friends of the
Cuban ~revolutionists from organizing
armed expeditions in our ports. OF the
expeditions planned, only a fraction have
succeeded in evading our revenue officers,
whereas of those which nave succeeded.
only one has been hindered from landing in
the island by the Spanish vessels engaged
in patrolling the Cuban coasts.
AS for the shipment Of guns and ammu-
milton, unaccompanied by enlisted men, we
have a right, under the law Of nations, to
sell such commodities to any subjects of
Spain in Cuba, so long as the existence of
war on the island is denied by the Madrid
Government. These principles are clear
and unimpeachable, and there Is no doubt
of our ability to prove that We ave never
swerved from them.
Even if, then, other European powers
were sentimentally inclined to give Spain
moral or material aid, they would have no
plausible ground for so doing.
There is, however, no such inclination In
Great Britain, Russia, or France, If we ex.
cept a group of bankers in the last-named
country who have invested in Spanish
bonds. Those bankers rave undoubtedly
exercised a considerable amount of in
fiuence under the third French repub-
lie, but they failed at the critical mo-
ment to induce the French Government
to cooperate with England in the defence
of their private interests in Egypt. and
they could never prevail on the French peo-
pie to assume an attitude of a%ntagonism
toward the great American Commonwealth.
In the court circles of Vienna, as we have
often pointed out, a good deal of sympathy
may be felt for the Spanish monarchy
on several grounds, chief of which Is the
fact that the Queen Regent Of Spain
is an Austrian Archduchess. This senti-
ment, however, will never be permitted by
Germany and Italy to take any practical
form, lest the interests of the Triple ALI
ance should be seriously imperilled by driv-
ing the United States, with their immense
financial resources, to seek, by way of
counterpoise, the support Of the Franco.
Russian league.
In the absence of any satisfactory assur.
ances from other European powers, Spain
would commit an act of folly by asserting
the right to search for contraband of war
American vessels found within the three.
mile limit from the Cuban coast. In order
to lay a basis for such an assertion, she
would have to proclaim a blockade of Cuba,
a step which she has studiously RETAINED
from taking hitherto, knowing that II
would be tantamount to q confession on
her part that a state of war exists In
the island, and that she could moi
thereafter object to a recognition OF
the Cuban revolutionists as belliger
ents by the United States. 1t will be re
membered that 1t was our proclamation
of a blockade of the seaports belonging t.
the Confederate States which was made by
European powers the pretext for a recogni
tion of the Confederates ms belligerents
That fact Is too fresh In remembrance fol
Spain to take the initiative in bringing
about q state of things which would entitl,
the Cubans to belligerent rights, and i'm
pose on US a strict observance of the duties
OF neutrals between the insurgent colon,
and the mother country. At present we ar
not neutral; officially. the United Statel
Government Is wholly On the side of Spain
seeing that, as yet, for US the Cuban revo
lutionists have no legal existence.
1t ID probable enough that, the momen
; our Government recognizes the Cubans a
: belligerents, Spain will declare a blockad,
b of the island she will thus acquire tn,
, right of search within the three-mile limit
t which pertains to a blockading power. TIL
right, however, must be strictly construed
Should a Spanish cruiser stop and search al
, American vessel on the high seas, that Is t