The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-06

Castelar,, the popular author and Republican
leader, is moved thereby TO write . bitter and
savage article to II Porrenir Of Seville, In
which no uses this extraordinary language:
The message docs not, as might confidently
be expected, qualify the recognition OF belliger-
ency as On irrational and ubiquitous proceeding,
as q violation OF the right OF nations, as impossi-
bio because the rebels lack all that constitutes
q State capable of receiving recognition
among other organized States-no, It treats
tho matter with supreme cynicism, basing itself
upon the false pretext that the recognition OF
bellieerency would ultimately benefit Spain and
quell the disturbances.
"If reasonings such as these are admitted,
and that Internationally and unreservedly, we
are bound 10 believe that the United States Gov
eminent Is not a friendly and allied power; not
q Government that 10 undor the obligation to
give us Its moral assistance in our disas-
trous war. and Is therefore morally obliged
to stop the frebrands that periodically leave
Its shores to join the insurRent forces. No.
we see in the United States a hostile power,
determined to all manner OF usurpation. inter.
fering where IL has obviously no call and no
right to Interfere, under the preteXt that the
struggle is of such long duration, as II long
struggles are unknown in AmoricaI Tho United
States, through their treason and their peridy,
have made themselves utterly unworthy Of our
friendship; they deserve to be denounced before
the entire human community rs the principal
authors Of our misfortunes. Finally. in order
not to leave any doubt about his fell purpose,
the President closes his message with his dyna-
mite bomb-the threat of active intervention,
without s%cruples, without restriction. .
Intervention. indeedi What can interven-
tion In our affairs be based on but on crime. like
the crime by which Poland suffered under tho
heel OF q number Of tyrannical despots. to the
eternal shame Of all generations and which re-
mains o perpetual stain on civilization. The
sentiment which is known by the Turks 1.-THE
Russians, the author evidently meansl rs Pan
Slavism is called in America Pan-Americanism,
which aims at the supremacy of the Saxon race
from the Potomac to Patagonia. But this same
Saxon race does not understand the difference
of such dreams Of conquest as conceived
by q republic and by an empire. Ar empire
strengthens itself by war as a tiger and n lion
are strengthened by killing their prey; but q
republic like that Of the United States. which
was created to prosper through and
industry, cannot Systematically go to war with.
out deliberately committing q dishonorable sui
eide at the foot of the idol of imperialism.
I'm order to intervene in Cuba, the United
States must be prepared to arm themselves to
the teeth. They must have a powerful fleet In
the waters erstwhile solely traversed in the
interests Of trade; they must increase their
budget in conformity with other great lighting
nations; they must convert their legions OF in
dustrious tillors of the soil into warlike hordes
bent upon destruction. like the damned souls on
the day Of Judgment; they must DO prepared to
incur the enmity of all Spanish America. as
their action would signify a constant danger to
liberty and Independence; they must be pre-.
pared to incur the enmity OF oil civilized hui
mainly, which would raise its voice in unani-
nous protest. Nay, more. They would lose
their democracy, they would lose their republic.
They would convert the Capitol, bulwark OF
liberty, into n stronghold of base servitude, to
the everlasting dishonor of civilization.
mo, the American nation would do better to
from interference, prevent flibustering
expeditions leaving its shores. denying once and
for all the prospect Of their aid to the insurgent
leaders. pointing out to them that they cannot
lend them any assistance without dishonor to
their name and danger to their country, thus
us to finish the war with our own means,
and we shall yet crown it with the peace OBJ
tained through our own sacred rights"
This sort OF rhetoric does not appeal to Anglo
Saxon sympathies or reason, but the Spanish
mind is influenced by 1t. 1t serves to show, too,
that the antagonism to the United States in
Spain is not confined to Liberals and Conserva-
tives. 1t is one of the principal articles of the
Carlist creed. Young Don Carlos seeks support
among the masses by breathing threatenings
and slaughter against Americans whom he pro-
poses to annihilate promptly by landing an
in Florida and marching VIGOROUSLY to
New York as soon as the people put him upon
the Spanish throne. And the Republicans. also.
as Senior Castelar's article shows. are one with
their fellow citizens In decrying the Yankees.
There is one fact or weakness in
Spanish character which makes it impossible
for Spain to understand the American attitude
toward the Cuban situation. 1 shall arouse
fresh resentment by calling attention to It, but
1t is necessary that the United States Govern
ment and people should take full cognizance of
it. 1t is the inherent cruelty of the Span
ish temperament. Humanity, as the rest of
the civilized world understands 1t, seems
to be left out in a large measure of the
Spanish makeup. Perhaps this is not surprising
in the descendants of the lnquisition, who in
many respects are the same morally and intel
lectually as the Spaniards OF the sixteenth CEN
tury. The stories OF tortures in Spanish prisons
a year ago were not altogether apocryphal, and
the unsportsnanlike horrors OF the bull ring
would be repulsive to n people If they did not
take pleasure in the mere shedding of blood or, to
say the least. were not callous toward suffering,
1t 10 literally true. therefore, that Spain as a
nation Is unable to understand or recognize any
duty which the common laws of humanity i'm
pose upon the United States with regard to
Cuba. The Spaniards honestly believe that
Americans arc rank hypocrites when they pro-
fess to be prompted by impulses OF humanity to
interfere on beha alt Of the Cubans, and they are
convinced that the United States Is seeking thus
to cloak the most selfish and illegitimate mo-
tives. Let ME suggest an extreme example of the
Spanish feeling, or lack offeeling, in this respect.
Suppose that an attack Of frenzy OF superstition
such as sometimes seizes communities and even
nations. should lead SPANS neighbors, the
Portuguese, to prosecute and torture n certain
class among them. Suppose that abominable
%cruclties and murders were publicly committed.
Docs any one imngine that the dictates of human
iy would prompt Spain 70 interfere. no matter
to what extreme of horror and slaughter the
outrages might GOT There would probably be
many Spanish spectators at such an inquisition,
but Spanish interference. no-not unless some
other object was to be gained besides mere pro-
lection Of innocent victims.
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