The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-11
WILL 1T AID CUBA?

There does not seem to be any rea-
sonable foundation for the opinion or
the hope of those who hold that the
assist the cause of Cuban liberty. The
attitude of Spain toward her unfortu-
nate dependency is not bound up with
the existence of any man in the king
dom or the supremacy of any political
party. 1t has become purely a question
of pride. No one can doubt, in view of
the domestic conditions of Spain and
the financial embarrassments that are
rapidly placing her in an impossible
position, that those of her leaders who
are capable of taking a large and in
be glad to get rid of Cuba, were it
possible to do so on any terms that
seemed to them consistent with Spanish
dignity. There is the whole difficulty.
For Spain to relinquish Cuba seems to
her to be a confession of weakness and
an acquiescence in loss that would sig
nifty too plainly to the world her ma
tional decadence. 1t would also prob
ably precipitate popular revolution
An acknowledged defeat, even in an
unwise, unholy and unnatural cause,
stirs popular discomfort to ferment.
One can recall the turmoil in Italy
and the political changes that it threat
ened, and that it actually brought to
pass, when the Italian armies were
defeated in Abyssinia and compelled
to make an ignominious peace No
doubt there would be an uprising as
bitter in Spain if the people were told
that Cuba was to be lost forever to the
crown. Little as they might know
or care about the fact, it would stand
to them for loss of prestige and a
stigma of shame that must augment
their present discomfort with their
government. The Spanish leaders, Lib
eral as well as Conservative, are exactly
in the position with reference to Cuba
of the man who had grasped the bear
by the tail. 1t is equally disastrous
for them to hold on and to let 60
The appointment of temporary sue
cessor to Canovas makes the situation
clear, as we have presented it. 1t does
not foreshadow the slightest change
in Cuban policy. 1t does not even
promise the recall of Weyler But,
were that to take place. it would not
hn CIIh otriN Ill
They have now come to a pass where
it must be complete autonomy forever
or nothing. 1t matters not a whit
to people who have passed through
the valley of aff1iction, as these have,
whether the commander set to carry
out the order of Spain be little more
or a little less blood-thirsty in his
views. In either case he must enforce
the authority of his superiors, and in
either case the condition of Cuba would
remain about the same
There have been from the begin
ming, to one having knowledge Of
Spanish character and Of the
necessities imposed by the condi-
ton of affairs in Spain itself, only two
possibilities of hope for Cuba. The
one was that active interference by
the United States which ought to have
happened long ago, and to have
changed which into mere buster and
harmless resolutions is the eternal
shame of our congress. The only
other contingency that can end
the revolution favorably to the in
surgents is the financial collapse of
their enemy. AS long as Spain has a.
man capable of bearing arms and can
borrow dollar in any financial center
in the world she will keep up the eff
fort to subjugate Cuba. 1t is simply
a question of endurance now between
the Cuban people and their oppressors;
and Spain will maintain an armed
camp in that island until her soldiers
lay down their arms because they no
longer receive pay. The situation be-
/ ing thus clearly marked by events
that have become history, it is folly tc