The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-06

tie king plays in the palace with his
Austrian mother.
The prime minister tries to hide
the signs OF financial disaster and ut
ters defiance to ALL CASTELAR,, the
magnificent, cri~s: 1--WE can fight
like devils and lose like gods " but
CASTELAR, is no longer the real repub
lican.
Meanwhile Sagasta. the willy lead
er of the Liberal party. is plotting
the overthrow of Canovas | saw
Senor Moret, the late. minister of
foreign affairs this corning He is
Sagasta's immediate lieutenant and
spokesman, and represents all that is
progressive and tolerant in Spanish
politics outside of the new active
Republican party, which desires the
overthrow of the monarchy
eff the Liberal party is put in
power" he said, "we will at once
establish the promised reforms in
Cuba. regardless of the war We
will grant not only political rights
far beyond those incorporated in the
recent law, but we will also establish
practically free trade between Cuba
and all other countries, with the ex-
ception of reasonable discrimination
in favor of the mother country and
slight customs duties necessary for
revenue only.
''We are ready to do this, not as a
concession to any one-not asa sur
render to any one-but as duty we
owe te ourselves and our countrymen
ia Cuba
"We will fight the insurgent army
with our utmost power. | wish to
be very clear about that ; but if our
party gets in power VIC will establish
a liberal aud righteous government,
reforming both political and economic
questions in Cuba and Porto Rico
not the second day we have govern
ment, but the very first day
81 speak for all the leaders of my
party, and believe l also speak for
my leader, senor Sagasta. 1t was |
who, signed the bill abolishing human
slavery in Cuba l believe they
grow better according to the extent
of their liberties, and while Cubans
may not at first improve under the
conditions OF local self.goveznment,
and may even retrograde at the be-
gining, Spain must give them
chance to better themselves. and
they viii! become progressive and
reliable within a generation under
proper conditions
"The Liberal party is not afraid
that the world will suspect Spain Of
having yielded to force With great
er libety in Cuba, and with tariff
that will enable Cubans to trade free
ly and proitably with the United
States, the Cubans will soon learn to
recognize that their best friend is
their mother country"
How different all this is from the
pitiless words which Canovas ad
dressed TO the American public,
through The Journal last week The
present government remains in power
because it panders to the passions of
the crowd.
Only few days ago, when it was
annouaced that the flibuster steamer
Laurada would enter the port of
Valencia, and the mob threatened to
attack the ship if she came, Canovas
ordered the local authorities to use
their utmost power to protect her
The governor Of the province tele
graphed to Madrid that he feared he
would be unable to restrain the angry
crowd if the Lurada touched Val
encia. The Spanish government at
once appealed to the United States,
and the American consul at Valencia
was instructed by Secretary Olney to
advise the captain of the Laurada not
to enter the port.
Such things as these convince
Canovas that stern and unhincbing
attitude will best serve his purpose
The mass of the Spanish nation
seem to have no idea of the whole
sale and wanton massacre in Cuba,
nor of the overwhelming moral and
humane sentiment which has aroused
the American people to the fighting
point. The result is that the solemn
and deliberate utterances of congress
are sneered at. and the shop windows
pre- filled with unspeakably indecent
3aricatures of United States sea-
aeors
Cleveland and Olney are Spanish
heroes. and 80 Srain drifts on to her
inevitable fate