The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-05-23
HOW LONG?

smut OIL rs we are lIulh illt Nplihs .
with our news coming in driblets in
stead of in a steady stream, we cannot
help specializing upon the current /
events. How long will be the war
last? How long will Spain be able to
continue the struggle? The whole
matter hinges probably upon the ma
val battle in the Atlantic. If Admiral
Sampson can infict as crushing blow
in that Ocean as Admiral Dewey has
in the Pacific. Havana will be at the
mercy of the United States, and will
have to yield withou making any
strong resistance, and in that event
Spain will in all probability sue for
peace. With her fleets gone and her
two colonies gone, with her coasts
exposed to the attacks of the United
States cruisers she would be utterly
helpless. However terrible the loss of
life may be in this naval battle we
nav feel assured that it will save a
greater loss in the future.
But it is not only in the matter of
loss of ornaments and men that
Spain will feel pinch. Some nations
can recover that, it is the almost GER
tain bankruptcy of her finances which
will tell upon the war. OF course she
has had considerable assistance in
actual cash from the Spanish inhabi-
tants of Mexico and other kindred
South American republics. Many of
these old families are enormously
wealthy and have subscribed literally
10 the war fund, but voluntary sub
scriptions of this character though
giving great assistance, still are but
drop in the bucket, and after all it
is extraordinary taxation which the
Spanish government will have to de-
pend upon.
The naval estimates in the Spanish
budget have been raised from 10000
600 pesetas, to 9O,OO0,0OO, while the
army estimates are left open. To
meet these expenses which create
deficit in the current income, the au-
thority has been given to issue 10O.-
100000 pesetas of bonds guaranteed
upon the Almaden quicksilver mines.
The government further proposes to
levy in advance one years payment of
all territorial and industrial taxes and
to levy internal taxes on grain and
other commodities. All those who
possess state monopolies are to he
forced to make advances, and other
monopolies are to be created and sold,
and there is to be further issue Of
Bank of Spain. ..,
When one comes to consider the
methods of revenue one readily real
ICES how desperate some of them are.
is sought, no matter what may be the
result in the future But the effect
of some of these taxes will be imme-
diateN disastrous. We have read of
riots already, we shall read of still
greater ones when the tax on grain
is levied. The bulk of the Spanish
population is desperately poor and its
food is bread or preparations of grain.
Tax this and you tax the life of the
people. Moreover the blockade of
Cuba has disturbed the economic con-
ditions in Spain and many men and
women are out of work, especially is
this true in the provinces in the vi
entity of Cadiz, and it is just this part
of Spain which has of late years been
excessively turbulent even under or
binary circumstances.
However brave and however deter
mined the ruling classes in Spain
may be it is very evident that they
cannot hold up against disaster
abroad, pending financial disaster and
a social cataclysm within their OWL
borders. Therefore it is by no means
unlikely, as stated at the commence
ment of this article, that the result
of the naval battle in the Atlantic
may put an end to the war. o.
course it is but speculation, but it il
not idle speculation, for the facts ad
duced point clearly to such posi-
bility.