Arizona republican., 1898-10-12

London, Oct 1.-The meetings of the American and the Spanish peace commissioners at Paris have scarcely disturbed the moody and fatalistic resignation that has prevailed among all classes in Spain since the end of the war. With all allowance for Senor Sagasta's pol icy of secrecy and for the consequent rigor of the censorship, there is very little discussion in the newspapers of the course that the Spanish envoys will pursue. Of the terms of the poten- tial treaty. and of the temper of Span ish opinion toward thsm.
 Even to learn something of the commissioners and their assistants. the inquirer in London had to turn from the Madrid journals to private correspondents. Senor Sagasta had no Information to give for use at home or abroad. His administration has gradually become a temporary and a tolerated dictatorship that will endure until the conclusion of peace and that sets above all other objects the pro- lection of the Alphonsine dynasty.
 Other political and military chiefs and their followers have no wish to interfere until the results Of the war have been definitely ascertained and the inevitable reorganization ot Spanish administration, finance and external trade begins. They call Sagasta's rule a dictatorship of inn potenee, but for the momene they are as impotent as he.
 The support of the queen regent and of an apathetic majority of the cortes enabled him to obtain from it all the powers he desired and to end by summary propagation the angry debates over the conduct of the war and maladministration in the ministries. Outside the newspaper of fees there is little resentment over his censorship Of the press. If there were any disposition to turbulence in Madrid, the secret police that infests the capital would probably check it in the bud.
 The Carlists, awaiting their oppor- unity like all the other parties, make no disturbances in the provinces. Above all, Spaniards, high and low,
  ment go its own way in the conclusion of peace. The day of reckoning is the tomorrow" that most observers on the spo. believe will come with the ad- justment of Spanish affairs. say at the beginning of next year, to new condi- dons.
 And yet discouraged. disappointed, disillusioned, indifferent and drifting as Spanish public opinion is, it can bestir itself On occasion and in direc- tions that suggest that it's prejudices are as strong as ever. There are few men in Spain more fit than Senor Moret to serve as a peace commission CT. He was the ablest colonial min ister that Madrid has known in years and he is especially familitr with the relations of the United States, Spain and Cuba He, however, devised and carried out last winter the scheme of autonomy by which, as last resort, he hoped to pacify American and Gu ban opinion Spanish sentiment IS as intolerant today of colonial auton- omy as it was then; while Senor Nor cts predictions of the disastrous out come of the war have helped to main tain the resentment that his Cuban policy kindled. In the face of 1t SerOr Sagasta was not dictator enough to place him on the peace commis- sion. Opposing political leaders do not desire to share the responsibility foT the treaty, and the premier's sugges- tiOn that one or two Of them should l take part in the negotiations was largely tactical sham.
 Senor Castillo, the Spanish ambaS i Sadcr at Paris, can be more useful tO the envoys as their adviser in general i and as their intermediary with the | Quai d'Orsay and the European em- l bassies than as one of their number. i
 Keenly interested as the Vatican 1, is in the ecclesiastical encouragement | in the Antilles and in the Philippines, 1 it was impolitic, in the view both Of | Rome and of Madrid, to give the re | ligious orders direct representation on | the commission in the Jesuit, Mon- l signor del Val.
 circumstances have thus forcet! l Senor Sagasta, perhaps not unwilling l ly, to the choice of rather mediocre and | colorless men. He gave the restless ! army representative in General Ce | rero, a soldier that has not meddled in | Spanish politics and that knows some | thing at first hand of the colonies.
 Similarly ha gave the foreign of- 1