The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-10
VIEWS OF Don CARLOS.


y
brussels, May 0-Don Carlos, the
Spanish pretcnder, in the course of
long interview said:
when / left Venice about the middle
of April. ] had i'm contemplation Il des-
perate and nqueStionably hazardous en-
tcrprise. unlikely perhaps to further my
own dynastic interests but sure to force
the hands OF the cOwardly officials who
are shrinking from the responsibility of
unfolding vi ct arms the integrity of
the Spanish dominions. The declaration
Of war made me pause found mySeit
imperatively constrained to await events.
Up to the present these have proved dis
astrous The incidents in Cuba and
Manila have revealed neglected defenccS,
vcnal administration, Il prevalent subStl-
tuition of personal for national interests,
corruption fostcred by party government,
generously voted millions diverted from
thc fulIhllmcnt Of their patriotic purpose
to the rockets of fraudulent contractors
and dishonest State employees and dls0r-
der. peculation and mendacIty IN every
department of the public service.
The Queen regent has been q mere
puppet in the hands of incompetent and
self.seeking ministers. bimdly counter
mean mowers and even the Pope for med
iation between aggressor and aggressed.
she mas proved herself Al fond mother,
but feeble queen.
This is what Spaniards, in the eN-
tremity of their peril. resent, and they
justly blame her for appealing to the
people to sustain the AlfOnSist dynasty
instead of national honor Being Il for
eigner She failed to understand the
| Spanish character, and sounded the
wrong note. She should have eNhorted
| the Spaniards to rally round Spain, and
not round Alfonso. 1t was not her only
| son. hut country of her adoption which
should have been at least ostenSibly, her
first consideration As for intervention
on our behalf by the powers, implore,l
| by her at the instance Of her weak
| bnecd advisors. had it been provided
| for in previous treaties, or confidential
ententes. there is no true Spanish PATRIOT
who would not have welcomed it with
fervent Joy: but to solicit it with hui
| initiating cntreaty ut the eleventh hour
| was manifestly incompatible with our
! national point d honneur
Whatever popularity Dona Christina
may have enjoyed by virtue of her do
! nestle and constitutional merits was in
| evitably scattered to the winds when
| she lent herself to a proceeding where
| by the nation felt itself degraded.
! have the fullest confidence in the valor
and patriotism Of the Spanish army and
navy. The people, too, will bear with
Stoical and dignifed equanimity what
ever sacrifices and privatons are inn
posed upon them. They will never grudge
supplies to their fighting brethren, even
if they have to tighten their belts to the
| last hole.
| 1t is their ministers whom | diStrust
! and condemn. Senior Sagasta is not 50
| culpablc as Senior AIoret. but he is an
! old man. Of failing power. He is the
| apostle of eXpediciency, and as such.
utterly unfit to sway the deStinies of u
proud brave and self-reSnecting nation.
| As for Wevler. he is typical Caballero
! Espano He is purely soldier. not
in the least politician. II is my firm
| conviction thar he adopted the proper
| policy for putting down the Cuban in
/ surrection and would have suppressed
| it effectually. perhaps ere now, had he
not been prematurely withdrawn from
| command the victim of political intrigue
| and official c0wardice. He was the ter
ror of the American emissaries, rebels
aud Of foreign sympathizers with treason
and anarchy"