New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-11
SPANISH GolERvMENT NOT WANTED

Spain begins t. understand that she Is not
engaged in war. nation cannot he really Ak
war II II has not practically done anything ana
has killed nobody in six weeks. That eminent
manufactures of mule stories. General Blan-
CO. tells Spain that war has been In progress
ev cry day and that on one occasion as many as
1900 Americans have been wounded or killed,
which contrasts with the official Information
that one man on one American ship was wound
ed Spain has not been honestly advised. BE-
yond doubt Sagasta knows right well that Spain
has lost everything except her home possessions
and has no chance Of retaining any part OF her
colonial possessions. For the last four weeks
ne has known that the Spanish Government
could do nothing save fight against destiny ana
retain, II possible, the control Of the home Gov
eminent for the Queen. There has been talk
for four weeks Of sending a feet TO the Philip
pines; vet he has known and everybody else
has known that It would be merely waste
of powder For two weeks past there has
been talk Of sending n fleet across the At
lantic; yet he has known, and everybody else.
that there was no chance for such fleet 10
live on this side OF the water. and that II might
lust as we'll be sunk in Spanish waters rs any
where else Cervcra ran into the mouth OF r
bottle because he knew he could not do any
thing beyond threatening the United States and
hoped he might threaten well there as any
where else The next question for the Spanish
Government IL whether II answer 10 the
people of Spain with Yankee fleets coastng
about Spanish harbors and making trouble for
Spanish commerce. Why the Premier does not
seek for peace men ask with a great deal OF
curiosity. but the truth is that he Is not strong
enough.
Generally the trouble Is that Spain is too
weak to make war and is not strong enough
to make peace That is perhaps the most mel
ancholy predicament conceivable for proud
nation But II Is the predicament Of Spain to-
day Begging daily for this or that European
nation to Intervene. pretence or an
other, and every day with humiliatng rebuff
because this pretence or that does not suffice.
and able to keep alive financially from hour to
hour only by telling yarns which Munchausen
could never have matched. this futile admins
tration Of a dying nation staggers along 10 It's
doom because II can find no comfortable place
to lie down and die.
AS for the United States It is ptlable to fight
such an adversary, and yet the thing has TO
be done. For humanty's sake the hold Of bar
barlsm on the islands Of the Indies has to be
broken. The efforts Of who have given
their lives for freedom In Cuba or elsewhere
must be fairly reckoned. For the sake Of JUS
tice the nation which governed Havana when
the Maine went down must get of this con-
tinent. The rest will come, and anything IL
better than Havana capable Of destroying a
Maine.
Spain has shot It's last bolt on this side Of the
Atlantic. Let II 20 somewhere else with Its
barbarsm, Its falsehoods and It's murderous
temperament. All that America asks Is TO be
quite rid Of Spain on this side Of the ocean,
What Spain has to do in Cuba, after all the ex.
perience Of these years. is to get out Of Cuba.
and what II has to do In Porto Rico Is to get
out Of Porto Rico.