New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-05
EATyOV OR FRANKENSTEINf

Tho British Laureate's boast, I'VE are a peo-
Mo vetw becomes an anxious question upon
Spanish lips In few weeks perhaps IL lew
DAYS only, It must be answered, ana inc WORTH
will know whether Spain Is nation, master
full over its own fate even In disaster' or
mere Frankenstein, In timorous thraldom 10
its own creation. That is the problem wh'ch
has been most of all coming to the fore through
ont the war. 1t was indeed potent before the
war and had much to do with provoking the
war. And now 1t approaches the climax ana
the solution. fraught with more momentous con
sequences to Spain than even the war itself.
For the latter merely takes from her her COLO
nies: the other involves the sovereignty ana IN
tegrity of the home land itself
The Tribune's special cable correspondence
from Madrid and Cadiz undoubtedly sets forth
with accuracy the mind OF the public ana OF
the civil officers Of Spain. mot only the Court
Cabinet and political men of the capital. but
1.-The Madrid public well. are unmstakaDlS
Gin favor Of peace at any price" AT Cadlz ana
IN the seaport towns of Andalusa the same
feeling prevails, as 1t has long been known 10
do IN Catalonia The Queen Regent. the Prime
Minister and nearly all the leaders of the peo-
ME In civil life have known from the hrst that
Spain must yield, and they see that now is the
time when she must do so II she Is to save any
shred of honor from the wreck OF empire Inc
people themselves too, at last realize the ruin.
Mule stories and joyous emotions no longer de-
Jude them. They know that the war has thus
for meant the humiliation OF Spanish fleets,
the capture Of Spanish armies and the prostra-
tIon Of SpanIsh industries They know that It's
continuance would mean something still worse
for them. Therefore they want peace
But Will their will prevail? Or Will the mill
tary monster they have made be able TO assert
it's mastery over them? True, the Spanish
Army is not large compared with those OF the
great Continental Powers. But IT Is large ana
strong compared with the size and strength OF
Spain. 1t Is, moreover, uncommonly large In
number of officers, and Of officers to whom
miIitarism Is lucrative business; and to these
peace Is hateful Weyler, for example, would
IKE the war kept going FOR the same reason
that he wanted the Cuban insurrection Kept
going. because It enables him to fill his pockets
with gold With the honorable exceptions OF
Marshal Campos, General Polaveja and few
others the army Is opposed to peace Ana I'D
no European country. not even France, Is the
army more influential In politics than II Is In
Spain There lies the danger, either that the
army will prevent the Government from max
ing pence or that II will. when peace Is made.
revolt against the Government and the dynasty.
In this grave problem which confronts Spain
tn, United States has no immediate interest.
This country did not create 1t nor contribute
to IT, and Is certainly not called upon to modify
Its action because Of II. Our duty Is to thew
to the line. let the chips fall where they may"
Naturally, we should prefer to see the Span
ish nation maintain It's sovereignty, and make
Of its army servant, not dictator We should
prefer. too, to see the present dynasty main
tanned; for In it's stead the choice would lie be.
tween the renctionary despotism of Don Carlos
and the all but anarchy Of an attempt at re-
public for which the nation Is hopelessly un-
prepared. But these are mntters for Spain 10
determine for herself. We have not intcrfered
In her domestic affairs, and shall not do 20, HOT
can we permit them to have any influence upon
our National policy. Nation or Frankenstein,
Spain to US is merely Spain-a Power which we
have utterly beaten In war, and to which We