The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-13
Eminent Spanish Testimony,

IL appears from a translation in the
Sun of some recent correspondence
from Havana in FL HcraIdo of Mad
rld that Spain has at least one jour
nalist worthy of the name Senior
Canalejas, FL Heraldo's editor This
distinguished Spaniard lately under
took on his own motion to ascertain
the exact condition of affairs i'm Cuba.
With this purpose in view he first vis-
tied the United States, sending home
to Madrid, through his secretary. Senor
Saint-Aubin, uncommonly fair and in
teIllgent representations of American
sentiment, and then he proceeded TO
Cuba, venturing as far from the Span
ish strongholds in quest of informa-
tion as he dared.
A recent issue Of FL Heraldo gives
some of the fruits of Senior Canaleias'
observations. We quote from the
translation in the Sun:
"All that has been said about the de-
population of the country, the destruc-
ton of wealth, and the awful Sufferinrs
of the Spanish soldiers is nothing when
compared with the dreadful truth. More
distressing than anything that has been
said are the ruin of commerce. the fail
ure of the next crop, the dearth of pro-
visions all over the island, the ravages of
opidcmiCs, and the dire misery of the
inhabitants in the principal cities and
towns. The spectacle is more sad when
we recollect the optimistic Spanish pre-
dictions that have been uttered" About
the insurgents he says: "Thcy scorn the
pardons offered to them and reject au-
tonomy. They burn the sugar cane fields.
threaten a
1rate their military forces in the noun
famous west. In the east, 10000 we'll
armed men maintain by force the civil
organization of the so-called Republic of
Cuba. Our troops have not damaged them
during two years, and that is their main
argument for demanding from the Uni
ted States the recognition of their bell
ligerenCy.' What will be the result ?
This Spanish journalist and former min
lister does not dare to say. He only points
to the fact that General Blanco's mis-
sion i'm the island of Cuba is full of
difficulties" THE situation" he adds,
'is so dark that it is hard to foretell the
issue"
There can be little doubt that these
admissions are conservative in view
of the subsequently reported victories
of the Cubans in the field, which even
the Spanish authorities at Havana are
compelled to confirm. II may be that
the purpose of Senor Canalejas in pre-
senting to Spanish readers for the first
time the naked facts in the problem is
to stir up a sentiment likely to rein
force the Sagasta ministry with money
and troops. on the other hand, he
may aim simply to prepare the way
for the Liberal administration to con-
fess to the impossibllity of holding
Cuba and on that plea TO open negotla-
tlons for the islands abandonment t.
the insurgents, But whatever the mo-
tive, the fact itself is certainly signih-
can't 1t is an eloquent testimonial tC
the vitality of the insurgent cause that
an eX-minister of Spain and one of the
present premier's closest friends should
publicly admit in correspondence to
his own paper the undminished
strength of the Cuban insurrectior
after nearly three years of the cost
liest war that Spain has ever waged.