The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-15
The Price of Ignorance.

III tnere is to pc a war between Spain
and the United States, which seems at
present writing not improbable, 1t will
measure the tremendous price that ma
lions have to pay for permitting the
dark cloud of ignorance to settle down
upon their subjects. If nothing had to
be consulted but the will of the cab
inets and leaders of thought on both
sides. there would be no war and no
possibility of it. The same would be
true were the education of the people
of Spain on par with that of the peo-
pie Of the United States.
Nothing has been more admirable;
nothing evinced more clearly the sta
bility of the republic; nothing demon
strated more forcefully the Importance
of high average Of public Intelligence,
than the manner in which the Ameri-
can people. the great masses Of our
citizens outside congress, the politicians
and all public bodies, have met a ques-
ton and an issue particularly calculat-
ed to establish the supremacy of pas
sion over reason. Because ours Is not
an ignorant country; because the free
man has an independence that reflects
seen millions Of our citizens, conscious
of their ability to grasp Spain by the
throat and exact any PREPARATION that
they might name. waiting calmly and
quietly for the report Of board Of in
quiry and demanding only that justice
should be done.
An attitude like this is impossible to
the Spanish populace, because the
qualities behind it do not exist there.
The masses of the Spanish people are
ignorant. prejudiced and passionate.
They have neither the conception Of
independence and equality of right
which is the birthright of the Ameri-
can. nor the power to form 1t. Their
low average of education leaves them
to be stirred by the gusts and fits of
passion that belong to the childhood
Of the race as to that of the individual.
1t Is in the character and lack Of men
tai development Of the Spanish people
that the reason why war is apparently
so unavoidable Is to be found.
The Spanish ministers have an &C
curate understanding Of the situation.
They know that, with war or without
it, Cuba is lost to Spain. They know
that hostilities with the United States
would only deepen their embarrass-
ments, add to their huge debt and sub
ject them to tremendous financial
losses, in addition to the humiliation of
defeat. They are aware that, in such
a contest. they have all to lose and
nothing to gain. Left to themselves,
consulting only their own judgment
and the welfare Of their country, they
would adjust this matter within a
fortnight. They would grant, as they
are undoubtedly willing to do, entire
autonomy to Cuba, settle their differ
ences with the United States and end
this eXhausting struggle without fur
Their delay.
That which ties their hands is the
knowledge that the first step in carry
ing out this practical and rational pro-
gramme would be the signal for a revo-
luton at home. The people Of Spain,
whose narrow intelligence cannot COM
pass the fact, who cannot be made to
understand either justice or expediency,
would be fired with indignation at an
apparent surrender; and not only
resign without delay, but the prob
ability is that the throne itself would
fall by popular revolution.
The policy Of America, which has
won the admiration of the whole world,
and received open tribute even from
those who love us not on the other
side of the water. is based upon the
intelligence, patriotism and love of
justice of our people. The policy to
which Spain is compelled to resort, in
opposition to the judgment Of her fore
most men. is likewise an outgrowth of
popular limitations of Intelligence and
heart and conscience; that may yet
drive the nation itself to destruction.
because it's own subjects will not per-
nit 1t to follow the manly and honor
able way.