Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-05-07
Hopes Based on Diplomacy.

In the past 100 years Spain has &C
complished more in the way of retaining
possessions and avoiding trouble (al-
though that country has had trouble
enough) by diplomacy, than she has by
fighting. AS crafty diplomats the rul-
ing Spaniards are past masters of the
art, and they are endeavoring to save
national honor" in the "a with this
country by that means.
Recognizing, as does the rest of the
world, that the United States weak
point is the lack of a large organized
army to take and hold Cuba, Porto Rico
and the Philippines, the Madrid govern
ment reckons upon this, it is reported,
for her advantage if not for her saliva
ton. She will postpone defeat by avoid
ing battle. If she escapes the United
States at sea and this country has no
troops to proceed against her by land
the wal must necessarily be prolonged,
and it will not appear to the disturbed
and apprehensive spectator. nations that
it is making any progress toward a de-
| cision of the conflict. But these specta-
tors have interests. War interrupts
trade, disturbs the money market, and
causes loss and destruction which no ma
tion wholly escapes. Madrid dispatches
ascribe to the Spanish government the
theory that the continental nations will
become impatient and will intervene in
defense of their own interests.
For a nation that has gone to war
with an adversary five times her size, a
iine-spun theory is a pretty poor reli-
ance against disaster. If this is, really
her plan of campaign--and the curious
behavior Of her fleets gives support to
the s~tory-Spain evidently reasons that
the powers would put c%onstraint not
upon her, but upon this country, pun,
ishing this governments unreadiness
and incapacity for war by compelling it
to stop harassing a foe it is not pre-
pared to conquer. The ethical quality
of such a proceeding would be high and
fine. For that reason it would be I'M
likely to meet favor with continental
powers. They are not apt to go to war
for the pure love of justice.
The developments of the past few
days would indicate that Spain has al
ready begun to act upon this idea, since
again have some of the powers APP
preached Great Britain with a PROPOSE.
ton to interfere for an honorable" set
Element of the trouble. That word
honorable" means that the United
States must be forced to a peace ar
rangement which would please Spain
and smash the Monroe doctrine. Eng
land, knowing that the American peo-
pie have donned their wal paint, and
feeling that the affair is none of her
business, very properly refused to enter
into any such an arrangement.
If, however, any concerted interior
ence does come, which is highly i'm
probable and almost impossible under
the circumstances, it will certainly take
the form of a notice to Spain that she
must comply with the demands of the
United States with regard to Cuba.
That is n weak point in this comfort
ing theory. Another is the uncertainty
whether the lack of a great organized
army is really an insuperable obstacle
to the speedy capture and occupation Of
Cuba. If the United States really
should land troops, arm the insurgents,
feed the reconcentrados, starve BlancO,
and take Havana before the LIST of July,
no exception could be taken to such
proceedings on the ground Of inactivity
and dawdling.