The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-12
Il CURh GO.
a LEADING spanIArd Thinks Spain Had Better
Wash nHer Hands OF the Island,

"abu N "huu v " tme hhtnnu.
MADRID, Sept. 25.-ouite a sensation has been
caused here by the publication Of an article
upon tho Cuban problem in La Rertstd Contsm-
pordneu. ono Of the most important periodicals
in Spain. The writer, Don Pablo Alzola, is a
leader in the mercantile classes Of Barcelona and
Bilbao. whose sentiment he Ia supposed TO voice.
He says Spain should not grant homo rule 10
Cuba. but abandon the island. To support his
opinion Sohor Alxola begins by quoting from
Senator Gibergo, q prominent member OF the
Cuban Autonomist party, who In a recent pam
phlet openly admitted that tho Cuban concep-
ton OF patriotism as regards Spain ia not and
cannot be the same as that of q native OF the
Peninsula; for" Giberga says, at is not
through imposition, but through love and afrec-
ton, that a man gives himself q country. How,
unless nature should be subverted and do
graded, could q people make a remote and al
most unknown land stand in their hearts above
that other land where they were born and nur-
tured, where they have their homes and their
affections, their material interests, their Joys
and sorrowsf' From these words Alsola con-
cludes that II q chemical analysis Of tho Span
ish sentiment In the Cubans could be made, this
sentiment would merely manifest itself through
mere indications.
Tho writer then draws n comparison between
the present and previous Cuban wars. The coat
Of the ten years war was charged to the islands
treasury, but now 1t Is Spain that defrays all
the expenses, past and present. such" ho
says, was tho logical consequence Of that
Spanish jingoism tsic) which manifested itself
when the declaration was made that we must
fight 1t out until we had consumed our last
peseta and lost our last man.
ITO conquer France tho invading army of
Prussia was in the proportion Of 1.7O soldiers to
every 100 French inhabitants. We have had
fifteen soldiers to every 100 Inhabitants Of
Cuba, although the proportion is really larger.
for the Spanish residents are in our favor. and
should be deducted from the total population
inimical to us. At the same rate Prussia would
have needed 5000. 900 soldiers to vanQuish
France. But she did not need 80 many. and.
moreover. she was victorious in less than ten
months. while all that We have been able to do
In Cuba after thirty months fighting is to mako
the war chronic.
ITO overcome the rebellion by force of arms
would unquestionably have been tho best solu-
ton. Although we might later have given the
island overy reform compatible with the ma
tion's sovereignty; but is there among us any
one who still believes that the coming winter
campaign will result in our definite triumph
over the insurrectionf All precedents, Hayt,
Santo Domingo, Cuba herself, prove that II
there is going to be q speedy termination of the
war it must come through u compact with the
insurgent forces. AS the Liberal party, whose
advent seems to be imminent, has promised to
establish home rule in Cuba, 1t will be very diff
dcult to prevent their carrying out q series Of
shameful concessions which will begin by the
complete loss OF Cuba as a market and Ultimate
~ do away with the shadow Of sovereignty now
left to US after having paid SO dear for 1t In war
The great error OF our domination in Cuba
already exceeds $500, 900. o that is to say.
more than the islands actual value. At the
saae nj M is iasT Franes paid ii w to sG0n rs1 sor the the
liberation of her territory"
The writer refers to the generosity Of Spain,
loans, and yet the 6uSans call us plundorers:"
Senior Alzola seems 20 be ignorant of the fact
gotiated these loans, and that not a cent OF the
money was ever devoted to the development Of
GnSa; ths en a Isre Loans nsm n"y Mbsn 0 tSs o Sssd IN
was at peace or euppressing Instructions
rough sni about ut BY SPANS pain. %!,m ap;ss ,soL tina.
Cuba Is a burden to US" he continues, there
are persons in Spain who were sesndalized be,
of abandoning the island amid tho wild ap;
plause of his audiences at Saragossa and
that Gaisn %s have Hst sent nj t To c a1%s sre Enable Sst to 1an.
gents will not accept reforms or even autonomy:
Cuba should not be considered as = means Of
stopping SPANS complete ruini Or has this,
Inc luNu Vi v &uiAotes uocu SOnN0rlCul IA
a madhouscl
1.-The honor OF Spain will not suffer because
we relinQuish Cuba. This Ia merely a pretext to
which they cling whose private interests might
be impaired through the loss Of tho island; We
retired from Santo Domingo and SPANS military
honor did not suffer, just MS France withdrew
from Mexico and abandoned Macmillan to his
fate. as Italy retired from Abyssinia regardless
I'VE do not need to have colonies. Nations
can live without them. There is Belgium. which
has no colonies, and whose furnishing COM
merce and industry form a marked contrast
with the deplorable condition of affairs In Por-
tugal. whose colonial empire ia immense. There
Is ample field in the South American republics
for all the Spaniards who wish to emiRrate.
| There they may become rich without exposing
their country to such troubles as those which
we have to confront in Cuba.
I'm fine. the task OF ruling q colony having .
deadly climate and inhabited by Il hostile people
accustomed to laying ambushes In war is too
great for Spain to carry on. In my opinion.
which Is also the opinion of many in Spain. tho
best thing for us 70 do is to withdraw from this
disastrous affair."