The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-15
SPAIWS VIEW OF THE PEACE.
A BIT OF CONSOLATION sIFTED
FROM THE GREAT DISASTER.

Politicians Had Used Her Islands to
Enrich Their PrOtogees, and the
Nation Derived But Little Advan-
tage and Suffered Many Sacrifices.
View That the Loss is Not So
Great as Anticipated-Peace Salts
factory to Large Majority of the
PeopIe-NO Complications Expect
ed in Cuba and Porto Rico Affairs.
Philippine Question Dubious.
London, Aug l5.-The Times Madrid
correspondent telegraphing Sunday, says:
''The publication of the protocol has not
made much impression because the con-
tents were already known The only doubt
full point referred to the time of the convo-
cation of the Cortes.
Although there is a strong cabinet dis
sension on this point, some apprehending
a crisis little Importance need be attached
to 1t, because il is even unlikely that in
the event of one or two ministers resign
ing, the course of the peace negotiations
viii be seriously affected, because, in the
long run, Premier Sagasta is certain TO
have his own way.
. Meanwhile, he allows his colleagues to
discuss the subject freely and wisely
keeps his own counsel. There is no consid-
cradle doubt that the Cortes will approve
of peace and the date of the convocation
of the Cortes can only affect personal party
interests.
"It is too soon to speak confidently of
the impression the preliminary conditions
of peace, when examined closely will make
on the Spanish people generally, but there
is no doubt the news of the termination of
hostilides will be received by a great ma
jority with satisfaction.
During the last few weeks there has
been a great change in public opinion.
Though it was universally recognized from
the beginning that, in the long run, Amer
ica would prove herself stronger than
Spain, 1t was generally expected that the
bravery dash and tenacity of the Spanish
army and navy would in some measure
counterbalance the superiority of the Uni
ted States in population and resources,
and that, consequently, the conditions of
peace would not be very onerous. This
Illusion was dispelled by the destruction
of Cervera's squadron, the capitulation
of Santiago, and other well known Incl
dents of the campaign, and gradually the
conviction spread that, as Spain was evil
IDENTIFY incapable of defending herself, the
sooner she made peace the better.
1T may pretty safely be assumed, there
fore, that the decision of the government
will be generally approved. Whether the
government will subsequently be called to
account for negligence in its preparation
for war and for the manner in which the
campaign was conducted Is another ques-
tiOn.
"In the peace negotiations no serious
complications are apprehended in regard
to Cuba and Porto Rico. If the members
of the local commission for evacuation
have not yet been appointed 1t is surely
because the government wishes to appoint
officers and officials Of the same rank as
those to be appointed by the United States
government, and, at last nights cabinet
council, 1t was decided to save time by
appointing persons on the spot
Already some people are beginning TO
console themselves with the idea that the
loss of those two islands, though most
painful to Spanish national feeling, as
consummating the destruction of the great
Spanish empire in the Western Hemis-
phere, is really not so serious as is gen.
orally supposed.
Eel Imparcial, for instance says: AZ.
ter all, those who exploited the markets
of the Antilles were only some manu-
facturers and merchants. In certain re-
gions of the peninsula the exercise of
sovereignty was utilized by politicians TO
send their protegees as officials to these
islands. The great mass of the nation
derived indirectly very little advantage
and had to bear the sacrifices necessary
to maintain our domination
ideas Of this kind which are by no
means confined to El impartial, or to the
press generally, show that as / have re-
peatedly pointed out, the Spanish national
character contains, with much that is
medieval and romantic, a strong element
of sound practical common sense. The
Philippine question will be found more
difficult of solution, and already on one
point all competent authorities here seem
agreed, namely, that whatever situation
may be adopted there must be no Joint
sovereignty or joint protectorate, or any
thing of that kind An attempt to com
bine Spanish and American methods of
administration would inevitably lead to
disastrous complications"