New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-31
MADRID KEPT IGNORANT.
SUPPRESSION OF NEWS BY THE MILL
TARY CENsORs OF THE PRESS
THE PEOPLE RESIGNED TO PEACE AT ANY PRICE
AND HOPELESS OF EUROPEAN MD-NA-
TIoNAL GRIEF AssUAGED BY A BULL
FIGHT-sAGAsTA's RECORD.

TlONAL GRIEF AsSlAbE ID a Dull
FIGHT-sAGAsTAs RECORD.
Madrid July II.
Madrid had a slight shock yesterday to the
Indifference with which 1t has been treating the
| present crisis. The papers hostile to the Gov
| eminent appeared with whole columns blank
| notably the republican Pals" and the "Nacion-
al" The latter sheet complains this morning
that the columns suppressed in its yesterdays
issue neither more nor less than the dis
| patches which at a later hour were printed by
| the Governmental Correspondence" The ag-
erleved newspapers assert that the doing away
with constitutional guarantees by official procla-
nation is chiefly directed not against tn, Car
lists of the North or the Republicans of the East
and South. but against the press and the right
of free speech in public meetings. One pape:
facetously announces that it has set up In re
serve whole pages from the prayer book, to use
| in case of further suppressions by the censor
| The Pals" comes out boldly for a military die
| tatorship. and this it is allowed to print. AS
| General Weyler Is understood TO be coquettlng
with the Republicans. this has given rise to
| much talk. But the whole 1t must be SAID
| that Madrid has little means OF knowing what
the country really thinks.
| A French friend who has Just returned from
| the North tells Of a characteristic scene the day
| after the destruction of Admiral Cervera's
| SQUADRON became known. 1t was the eve of the
patron feast of Pampeluna, and that town was
| already crowded with peasants from leagues
| around After the solemn religious procession
| in which the saint. with flowers and incense
| and much cloth of gold and banners is borne to
| the music Of brass bands to every quarter or
| the town, there were to be bullfghts, with the
| best matadores OF all Spain. The Governor
| thought the disaster warranted the change or
| festivity into mourning. Not so the people. who
| threatened a temporary revolution. After con-
siderable parley It was represented to the Gov
ernor that stopping the bullfght in Pampeluna
would not change anything that had happened
| so far away as Santiago de Cuba: and process
| sion and matadores had their usual glory. This
| only shows the little solidarity which exists
| among the Spanish people In Cadiz. where the
| slaughter came home to many families. there
was wild outburst of passionate grief. But
| even there no popular opposition is made to
carrying on the war 1t is a part Of life. like
storms and shpwrecks-and all these people are
| fatalists like the Arabs and Moors who held
their country so long under control.
THE MILITARY CONTROL THE PRESS.
The censorship of the press meanwhile is en-
tirely in the hands of the military authorities.
1t is carried on at the general headquarters.
and two officers Of the headquarters staff are on
duty day and night. Otherwise daily papers
would have to suspend publication altogether
The recognized secretaries of the various editors
have TO present themselves with their entire
paper in proof. The officer passes his eye over
the columns crossing out with a red pencil
whatever he judges unwse to print. At first
theserempty columns actually appeared blank
in the paper when published. Now Indifferent
matter is used to fill up. but the authorities
have forbidden the insertion Of advertisements
or blocking" TO draw greater attention to the
severity OF the censure. All the editors have
been obliged to confer with the Captain-Gener
concerning the class Of regarded OBJ
noxious. and to guide themselves accord
ingly. In general, it is forbidden to criticise
national institutions, the Government army or
military operations. It should be added that the
Geographic dispatches sharply treated. On
this point the Captain General has thought 1t
necessary to explain his rule Of action.
Whenever there is question Of a newspaper
whose dispatches from trustworthy
sources. and the facts telegraphed seem proba
BILE the censor will authorize the publication OF
dispatches from the seat Of But editors
must refrain from all comment under preteXt
of explaining or throwing light on matters; and
news will be suppressed if 1t inexact or
exaggerated"
After twenty years OF liberty OF the press. this
is a violent measure. even for Spain. where the
press has comparatively little influence. The
staff officers, who themselves have not been
brought up to such work. are al their wits end
some being too tolerant and others too severe.
The result is that Madrid knows little OF what
is really going At present people are lazily
discussing the probable position of the Amer-
vi her a is thought n
have sailed for the coasts of Spain days
ago Every hour has new rumors Of peace
with alterations OF impossible terms demanded
by the "Yanquis.' The Carlist sympathzers
say loudly Not an inch Of our nations terri
tory, or we shall fight ourselves" The people
proper have resigned themselves to peace on
any terms provided the Government will act
and the army does not interfere But the ma
tional vice is everywhere apparent, putting off
everything until to-motrow-"M afiana!" The
people are also filed with the deusion which the
Government seems 10 encourage, that the Amer |
leans will accept more favorable terms after be-
ing decimated by yellow fever around Havana. |
All the papers. however. unite in telling their |
readers that nothing is to be hoped for from the
rest of Europe Even the Germans at Manila |
no longer excite curiosity or hope.
THE CAREER OF SENIOR sAGAsTA
The "Heraldo" consoles Itself by giving its
readers a succnct biography of Senior Sagasta. |
to bring out In relief the opposition between his |
present course OF action and his revolutionary |
antecedents lie began political life at twenty |
one. in 1S4S, by refusing to acknowledge allegi- |
ance to Queen Isabella. In 1871 he took lead |
ing part in attempt at revolution. The Par |
liamentary Government, which was conceded |
after this movement. brought him to the front as
a. leading editor in the ranks Of the extreme Lib
erals 1t was then that he laid down his famous
formula-"Thrones are only political institutions
TO satisfy the needs OF the people" The reac-
ton of 1856 forced him TO leave Spain, but an
nrnnastN soon followed. and until 1863 he was |