The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-01


Complaint Of the United states
Administration Failed
Because Of Local Opposition and
Insinccre Execution.
From London Times Havana Correspondent.
All the Havana newspapers publish
officially inspired leading articles on
the subject of the war preparations be-
ing pushed forward in the United
States. Attention was drawn to the
$50,O00,000 vote for coast Defense and
also to the presence Of a large number
Of men-of-war at Tortugas and Key
West, the concentration Of these ves-
sells at points so close to Cuba being
specially insisted upon as intending a.
direct menace to Spain. The present
opinions are the more important, mas
much as no reference to possible war
between the United States and Spain
has hitherto been permitted to appear
in the public prints Of this city during
the past few weeks. The leading arti-
cles in question also assert that if the
new home rule regime in Cuba falls
to secure peace In the island the fail
ure would be due to the encouragement
given to the rebels by the threatening
attitude of the United States toward
Spain. That Is the opinion Of the ad-
mnistration in Cuba today, and 1t has
been so expressed to me on several oc-
casions by different members Of the
government.
No doubt the Spaniards have some
ground on their side in the complaints
they now make with regard to the en-
enlargement indirectly given to the in
surgents by the attitude Of the United
States, but whether this is any reason
able cause for a formal protest is very
w!
establishment Of system Of self-gov-
eminent has failed to secure peace in
Cuba because Of the attitude now
taken up by the United States is hard
ly correct in fact. The insurgents re-
Jected the compromise of home rule
from the time the project was first
mooted, and the minister for the COL
onfes in Madrid has repeatedly stated
that this home rule was not given to
the rebels, but to peaceful and loyal
Cubans. 1t is not the present attitude
Of the Washington administration that
serves so much to encourage the In
surgents as the fact that the sympa-
thieS OF the people Of the United States
have been with them since the revolt
first began. The existence Of that SYM
pathy has enabled the instruction to
obtain supplies and carry on the strug-
gle against overwhelming odds in the
past and will continue to have the same
effect In the future, no matter what at
tftude the United States government
may see fit to adopt while the revolt
lasts.
WHY the Reforms Failed.
The true explanation of why the re-
forms have never had much chance Of
securing peace Is the opposition made
to them by the military element. The
history of Spain in the past has always
been the history Of a military oligarchy
and it has in no way changed today.
1t is necessary to accept and appreciate
that fact as a broad general principle
in all questions where Spaniards are
concerned, and more than ever so in
this matter Of Cuba. The colonial gov
eminent might have succeeded in eff
fecting a compromise with the insur-
gents had they been allowed a free
hand to act. Unfortunately the con-
ciliatory measures proposed by the
prominent men in the Autonomist
party have not been attempted in con-
sequence of the opposition of the army
The proposal to disband the local Span
. ish volunteer regiments, numbering
some $4,000 men, and substitute force
of Cuban militia drawn from the ranks
3 of the insurgents, would have borne
excellent fruit, but 1T was impossible
TO carry IL out. while the IDEA was
still in embryo, the volunteers forced
the hand of Gen. Blanco and obtained
a promise from him, afterward duly
confirmed from Madrid, that in no case
would the volunteer regiments be in
terfered with. The proposal to treat
with the Cuban republican government
and endeavor to arrange terms upon
which they would accept the new con-
stitution and lay down their arms fell
through hPc0uSe Of the determined re-
sistance of high military officials both
in Spain and Cuba. In everything the
same spirit is shown. This government
by military oligarchy is part and
parcel Of Spanish life, and cannot be
eradicated; moreover, the military ele-