The evening times., 1897-08-09

l fortune from their bounty.
The ulan who told Canoyas that he was
| a great poet-althoughh his verses are really
1 void of any poctical quality-was sure 70
gain his favor. He was great scholar,
he had The largest private library Ia Spain
he was good historian, great orator and
spain's mighty ruler, hut he could be sal
| isfied only with the glories he lacked
| those OF tho poet.
| The putlic did not know these childish
| traits of the man and his private virtues.
lie was personally honest. but no one be-
| ,ieved hin. to be SO. What the public "a w
| was the Ia rsh and cruel minister. who al
/ ways rcsorted to The sword TO quell any
| revolutionary attempt. He was for all
..the proud Canovas.'' the man who con-
sidered himself superior TO all Sraniards
and even to his King, the man who refused
a tile Of nobility, fiom Alfonso XII, say
ing: III l made him King, how can he
| make me duke?" When the Queen, after
| hei husbands death, insisted again upon
| giving him title, tits aid hat he answered:
Il am perfectly satisfied, madam, with
being Canpvas del Castillo
He was. therefore, deeply hated, espe-
cially by the Republicans, Socialists and
| Anarchists. The latter had sentenced him
to death several times, on account of his
| terrible persec ution of them. Canoyas had
put to death 500 Anarchists in Spain.
| either ty regular sentences after trials, or
| by attacks Of the troops on Anarchist
mobs.
At this very moment all Europe is
stirred up over the inquistorial tortures OF
| Anarchists i'm Barcelona, and Canovas Is
accused by public opinion OF being the
| instigator of them. He is the author OF
| the la w of S94 against Anarchists, which
| is now in force in Spain, and in which
death or Imprisonment for life is the only
penalty.
The colonial policy of Spain under Can
oyas' cabinets has always been one of OPP
preston. His pridemade him accept power
when the revolution was No powerful III
Cuba, and during his government 1t broke
cut also i'm the Philippine Islands. He in
augurated in Cuba u policy OF terror, ap-
! pointing as captain general OF the island
Don Yaleriano Weyler, the man whose rep
utation for cruelty, according TO the words
| OF Gen. MartLez Csmpos, was enough to
| make even the stones revolt against
Spain.''
Canovas, after his own ideas of never
-
| clamors OF public opinion in Spain and
abroad He confessed several times that
weyler was an obstacle to the pacification
| of the island, and that he was ready to re-
can him. hut whenever new protest arose
against the captain general he resolved To
hold him still ia office Lately Canovas pre-
pared plan OF reforms for the island, and.
not wiling to confess that il was against
his owE old uncompTomislng policy, he said
| that he had himself always been an au-
| tonoInist. As to granting independence TO
| Cuba, these words of his are sufficient TO
| show his political character: Il would rath-
| er burn my right hand than sign the decree
of the evacuation OF the island"
| The assassin alton of Senor Canovasis un-
doubtedly the consequence of the tortures
of Anarchists I'm Barcelona.
The unexpected event has not only de-
prived the Queen Regent of her best friend
and supporter, but il puts the monarchy in
gre at danger. CaDovas falls at the very
moment when, availing themselves OF
the governments financial distress and its
unpopularity because OF the levies OF
$50, 900 soldiers for Cuba and the Philip
pines the Carlists are making prepa rations
to raise a new insurrection. The pretender
himself intends to put himself at the
head OF his soldiers in the northern prov
inces. At the sane time the Republicans
are coua antly threatening a revolt, es-
pecialiy in the southern provinces.
In these circumstances the Queen viii
m tIoubtedly consult with Gen. Martinez
Campos who is now her strongest support
er The man who revolted In Sagunto
against the republic for calling Alfonzo
XIII. an baked by force Of arms the plans
of Canovas. must be the arbiter in this time
of the Queens difficulties. If the immedi-
ate call of SenoT Sagasta Is not the Tesultof
Gen. MARTINEZ Campos' advice the forIna-
ton of a cabinet composed OF all the po-
lticaI clements friendly to the monarchy
seems Imminent Now is when the mon arch
lists need. more than ever, 20 unite by Civ
ing I'D all their discords in the face of
common danger The army, ,reprcsentedb by
Martinez Campos, will decide the deStinies
of Spain. II the old warrior still holds his
influence over 1t the Queen is saved In
spain's history no revolution has ever been
successful without the support of the army.
The dea, h of Canovas furnishes one more
hope for the early establishment OF Cuban
Independence Alltheother Spanish states
men W ere more or less convinced or The use
less sacrifice which Spain was making TO
keep Cuba under her sway. Canovas was
the only man In Spain capable of fighting
for his ideas until they should involve the
ruin OF the nation.
Now, either a revolution viii overturn
the throne of the Bourbons and free Cuba,
or the defense of the Queen viii probably
oblige the new government TO let the re-
volted colony 20, in order to concentrate
in the peninsula all the forces of the mon
archy.