New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-02
THE SPANISH CHOICE.

The choice of peace or war remains for Spain
to make Perhaps she has already made IT,
But not until the declaration IS issued and hos
tilites are actually begun is the choice irrcvo-
cable. When at last 1t is made and the issue
Joined there will be no misakng the grounds
OF her decision. If she declare for peace 1t will
he because her better self has been asserted in
behalf Of Justice, reason and humanity If she
declare for war It Will be either because the
savage lust of blood of the bull ring dominates
her people or because her leaders are those
"who. after seeing the consequences OF n thou
sand errors. continue still TO blunder. and in
whom age has only added obstinacy to stu
"pdty."
Let rs be done once and forever with the
stale fiction of SPANS honor being involved in
the preservation Of her territorial integrity. 1t
has been said-hcr public men still say-she
cannot relinQuish Cuba without compromising
her honor Was her honor then, compromised
when she relinqushcd Mexico? And Guate-
mala? And zen or a dozen colonies in South
America? And when she re-ceded Louisiana to
France? And when she ransomed Cuba by
giving up Florida? And when after regnining
Florida she once more and finally renQuinhed
1t FOR cash under fear Of military compulson ::
Either these things did did not compromise
her honor If they did. then an honor so often
compromised is now unworthy Of consideration.
II they did not. then neither would the granting
Of independence 10 Cuba do so to-day.
Nor need the question Of the preservation Of
the Spanish dynasty concern u.s. cons'd-
cradle part Of the Spanish people regard It as
a spurious and usurplng dynasty. Another CON
siderable part are opposed to any dynasty ut
all. This dynasty has already once been ex-
PEELED by the act Of the Spanish people them
selves. Since 1t was first established, on q dis
puted basis, Spain has had no less than eight
different administrations, seven Of them in four
years. There Is no desire In this country 70
have the Alfonsist dynasty overthrown. Neither
is there willingness 10 bolster II up at the ex-
pense Of National welfare, National honor and
common humanity. II 10 grant independence
to Cuba would imperil the dynasty. would the
dynasty be saved by losing Cuba In n disas-
trous foreign war, and by having Mt the same
time the Spanish Navy destroyed, the Spanish
debt doubled Spanish commerce annhated.
Spanish Industries Frustrated, and the whole
Spanish nation demorazed as 1t has not been
since the days Of Bonaparte?
II Spain, in hopeless faulty, determines TO
cling to the outworn traditions Of the past, she
must bear the remorseless penalty. The choice
Is her own. deliberately made. The United
States has been patient and forbcarlng beyond
all precedent No other great Power in the
world would have been so generous. No other
would have tried so earnestly and so long to
| avoid war No other would have given Spain
80 many opportunities to escape that dread al
tentative. No; but neither would any other
strike more heavily and more directly II war
were forced upon IT, The hand Of friendship
has been offered IF It be spurned. the mailed
| fist must replace It. And rs the one was open.
| warm and loyal, so will the other be hard and
| cold and stern. 1t is not yet too late for Spain
| TO make which choice she will. When she has
once finally made It she must abide by IT,