The evening times., 1898-09-10
Trouble Mith Bl.nco.

The suggestions of the Spanish pre-
mier and the whole course Of Blanco
indicate that ii viii be no quick and
easy thing to effect the immediate
evacuation of Cuba" There is only too
much reason to fear that Spanish SOW
ereignty will continue until the final
treaty of peace is signed at Paris and
ratified by the two governments.
For this our own Government Is
chiefly to blame. That is to say, in
making terms for the armistice it
would have been simple matter TO
block the schemes of the willy Span
lard. 1t was evidently with a full
knowledge of the delay he could effect
by interfering unexpected questions
that Sagasta authorized the signing of
the protocol The President assumed
that, as a matter of course, Spanish
surrender and evacuation meant, and
there is no doubt IL does mean, Ameri-
can possession of all government prop
erty in trust for Cuba, including build
ings. real estate, forts and armaments.
arms and ammunition, and the like.
Some weeks ago Sagasta gave notice
that his Interpretation of the Presi-
dents terms did not imply anything
of the kind. Blanco has steadfastly
maintained that up to the last moment
Spanish sovereignty should be con-
tinued, his chief aim being to collect
the revenues for Spain. Now he as
serts that there must be no talk of sur
render and its conditions. which implies
the Spanish purpose to demand COM
pensation for everything to which that
nation can lay claim.
The worst effect is the exclusion of
supplies for the suffering by the impo-
sition of duties which neither the Gov
ernment nor private benevolence can
pay. Blanco places the financial ne
cessities of his nation above the lives
OF Cubans. He is evidently deter
mined to oppose all peace terms that do
not recognize Spain's right to compen-
sation for public buildings and all
property, including that OF the state
church. and her right To all military
equipments. supplies. etc.
He has force of more than a hun
dred thousand men and the capital is
strongly defended. He has no cause TO
fear a renewal of hostilities by the
Americans. who are mastering out half
of their soldiers and whose army is in
! no condition for war. In Spain there
would be a stronger sentiment in favor
of an abandonment of the peace pro-
gram than in this country. and Sagasta
and Blanco know ii. With the
elasticity that is peculiar To the race
the Spaniards have recovered from
their fear of America, and believe with
Pando that they were defeated by the
cowardice and inefficiency of their own
generals: that the most of the Spanish
| troops in Cuba have never seen an
American soldier. and that but for the
destruction of their navy they might
and would have been victorious. They
can see no reason why Blanco should
not be able to hold Cuba indefinitely
All this might have been prevented il
the terms of peace had been sufficiently
explicit. The toleration of Blanco a
Havana from the signing of the proto-
! col to the meeting of the Commission
| was a mistake. AS The Times foresaN
and noted. he was determined to make
himself as Objectionable as possible
and it was plain that he could be very
mischievous The Commission is liable
to have a good deal of trouble before
| it is rid of Spanish sovereignty il
| Cuba.