Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-22
General BIanco Grows Garrulous.

When Weyler, at the insistance of the
United States, was recalled to Spain,
after over a years cruel exercise of
power as captain general of that island
and replaced by General Blanco, the
American people felt that the condition
of the unfortunate people of Cuba had
been bettered in a large degree, and
subsequent events in a measure justified
the feeling, for General Blanco is not to
be classed with the men of Weyler's
calibre among the Spaniards. General
Ramon Blanco is one of the few colonial
officers in the service of Spain, about
whom has been heard something besides
evil, but since the surrender of Santiago
de Cuba he has expressed himself in a
manner which shows objectionable ig-
norance on the part of a man who has
had wide opportunities to learn of the
nations and peoples of the western con-
tinent.
In a recent interview given by him to
a New York paper through the editor
of a Havana paper, he said: "This is
he remarked in speaking of the United
States, "a country which in return for
all it owes, goes to the extreme of be-
lieving us to be the intentional authors
| of the explosion of the Maine, and de-
clares that we are not capable of guar
anteeing the safety of foreign vessels i n
| our harbors." General Rlanco failed to
itemize the debt the United States owes
to Spain. One thing is certain, this
country has incurred no obligations in
taking lessons from the S%paniards in
government, in the conduct of com
merce and industry, in the advancement
of science, in the separation of church
and state, in the preservation of peace,
in humanity, or in waging war. The
discovery of America was accomplished
by an italian s%cantily aided by a Span
ish queen, but that debt has been paid
many times over in gold wrung from
the unfortunate people who were
found" by steel-clad, tire-armed sol
diers centuries ago.
General Blanco says the Americans
have ''gone to the extreme point of be
lieving the Maine was blown up" In
that assertion he errs again. The Amer
leans do not believe anything of the
kind. They know that the Maine was
blown up by the agents of Spain just as
positively as if they had seen the deed
done with their W eyes. And in that
connection General Blanco and the rest
of the Spaniards may rest assured thai
that incident will not be closed until
the men who planted the mines and
turned the switch key which caused the
explosion are punished. The American
people are magnanimous in war, but
they never forget an injury, although
they may forgive-until they catch the
fellow who did it.
General Blanco's ignorance of current
events is shown in the statement:
against all reason and without any
other right than that of mere strength
they (the people of the United States
attempt to take away from us territory
which has belonged to Spain for 40C
years" If Spain for 400 years past had
treated her American colonies with the
consideration that has been shown the
colonies of Great Britain since the
United States secured independence, she
would today control the greater part OF
the American continent. 1t has only
been unhappy necessity that caused this
country to interfere in behalf of the
starving thousands on the Island of
Cuba.
The doughty general has allowed his
learning and better self to be swamped
by his disappointment I've the defeat
of the Spanish navy and army, and the
disasters which have met his native
country since the beginning of the wal.