The Saint Paul globe., 1897-10-26
IS 1T A WAY OF RETREATe

The reply which the Spanish govern
ment made to the representations and
the so-called ultimatum of Gen. Wood
ford admits of an explanation not un-
reasonable on the face of it. It is quite
possible that the Spanish cabinet, find
ing itself in a position which could
neither be endured nor escaped, may
have intended deliberately to prepare
for itself a way of retreat. If, by the
almost open defiance and the fairly Of
fensive tone of this argument breach
of peaceful relations between Spain
and the United States should be pre-
cipitated, then Cuba might be given
up, under pressure of necessity of war,
with less injury to Spanish pride than
as a mere yielding to triumphant revo-
lutionaries. 1t ought to have become
evident to all Spain by this time that
Cuba cannot be held. We think that,
aside from the most ignorant portion
of the people, every Spaniard must un-
derstand that Cuba is lost and cannot
be regained. Under those circumstances
will her people accept less than that
for which they have sacrificed so much?
The rebels are prepared to continue the
contest Indefinitely. Spain has not
military forces and money enough to
subdue the island, and the Cubans can
maintain a perpetual rebellion. On the
other hand, Spain cannot, without a
sense of shame, yield to the demands
of her rebellious subjects. If Cuba
were to be wrested from her by
the strong arm in a war with the
United States, it would actually mean
to the Spanish monarchy the solution
of grave difficulty and escape from
an intolerable position. To have the
United States take Cuba by force
would be a relief and a blessing to
Spain.
1t is barely possible that a conception
of this dictated the reply of Spain to
our offered intervention At any rate,
our department Of state meets with a
decided rebuff. Not only are our over
lures rejected, but the Spanish gov
ernment uses plain language in telling
us that, without aid received from fill
! clustering expeditions originating and
/ fitted out in the United States, the re-
| bellion could have been put down
| promptly. 1t holds US to blame for
| Spains troubles, and its reply to our
| offered intervention is a demand that
for the future we keep hands off
At least, this ought to put an end to
| the foolish performance of attempting
! to assist Cuba through any relation
| between the government of the United
| States and that of Spain. No man
| who had not taken leave of his senses
/ ever imagined for a moment that Spain
would regard any advice or suggestion
from us as to her method of dealing
with an insurrectionary province as
anything other than q decided imper-
Thence Her reply makes further dip
lomatic overtures impossible, and is
thus much of a gain. If she goes fur
ther and follows out the spirit of her
last dispatch, it is only a question of
time when actual hostilities between the
two countries will begin, and the end
Of that can be nothing but the inde-
pendence of Cuba. We cannot know,
of course, what ideas or motives ami
mate the Spanish ministry; but it
would be the shrewdest possible stroke
OF policy for those in charge Of that
harassed, impotent and poverty-strick-
en- nation to procure a solution of the
Cuban difficulty by having the bonds