The times., 1898-05-25
sPAIN's HOME TROUBLES
The Storm Cloud of Revolution
About TO Burst.
CIVIL WAR SEEMS INEVITABLE
The Bread Question the Point of
pOpuiar-The Common People
wouId BE Glad to See Cuba and
Porto Rico Lost.

New York, May 24-The Herald publish
es the following special cablegram, dated
Madrid. Monday:
The situation in Spain is much more Sc
rious than II is generally said to be.
Black clouds are gathering over the pc
ninsula. and, in spite of all that will be
done or viii be attempted it will be inn
possible to avoid the storm. which viii
burst with terrible effect and sweep
away everything in its path.
Such. at least. IS the impression which
l have formed. after stopping here near
ly ninth, and after numerous CONVERSE
tions with highly-placed personages be-
longing to the court. the government and
Parliament, and with tradesmen, middle
class people and the masses.
When Spaniards are spoken of promi-
nence is always given to the sineere pa
triotism which supports them, and ami
mates them under the existing circum-
stances. This Is one OF The many mis-
takes which are made daily. / do not
mean to deny the patriotism of the Span
iards but il should not be vaunted to
excess. for in Madrid. for example, the
fluctuations of the war interest the in
habitants less than the next bull fight
or the drawing of the national lottery.
The people are little preoccupied about
the war, and though, when the evening
papers come out. the official dispatches
cause certain amount of excitement
among fifteen hundred people who are
grouped between the Puerto del Sol and
the Gale de Seville, passing by the
Gale de Acala this excitement is quite
momentary, and does not prevent the
theaters and cafe concerts being be-
sieged by a numerous crowd. which only
asks to be amused.
But the great question which viii evil
IDENTIFY cause the revolutionary movement
Of which l have spoken is of bread The
bread question has already led TO sanSuln-
airy conflicts in some towns in the pro-
vinces There have been some killed and
wounded among the rioters. upon whom
the troops fired, and if quiet has been es-
tablished in Madrid it is because the may
or. Count de Romsnones. has been able
to make temporary arrangements with
the bakers.
Spain is just now passing through
very serious economic crisis. II is the re-
suit OF an extraordinary rise in exchange
on France. which one day reached ll5 per
cent. Taking advantage of the exchange
French and Belgian corn factors have
bought up all the wheat in Spain. which
they at once exported, realizing consid.
cradle profits, and when the Cortes ur-
gently passed a bin forbidding the export
of cereals il was too late. The stock Of
corn and wheat had already crossed the
frontier. leaving Spain without food for
her own people. II, therefore, became
necessary TO buy -four abroad at ruinous
prices 10 meet immediate needs. and the
exchange made the Spaniards lose the
considerable sums which have been gain
ed by the French and Belgians Hence
the rise in the price Of bread, and hence
the general discomfort in the provinces
and the sanguinary demonstrations. In
Madrid the rise has not yet made itself
felt. because the mayor promised TO in
demnify the bakers out OF the municipal
funds, but the credits allotted for this
purpose are not large. and when they are
exhausted the Madrid bakers Will also be
obliged 10 raise their prices.
What viii happen then? That IS what
Is most feared in government circles. The
people already in such straits. will inevi-
tably join the numerous political and 9TH
er maIcOntents. and the result may very
well be civil war. for the malcontents
and opponents Of the regency-''C 'Carlists.
republicans, socialists and anarchists
who, If an opportunity arose. would
group themselves under Gen. WeyleP with
the sole object Of oyerturning the Queen
Regent-already form an imposing ma
J0rity.
VIII be pOwerless TO put down. Will Don
Carlos come into power. or viii a repub-
lie be proclaimed? II is very difficult TO
prophesy on this point. It is certain,
however. that the Queen Regent does not
enjey the sympathy among the people
She is blamed for several things the chief
Of which are that she too frequently fol-
lows the advice Of her mother. the Arch
duchess Elizabeth Of Austria. when a diff
3iszHH1H a=f= III
tiously surrounds herself with cardinals
and bishops. who are sovereign masters
at court Spaniards say in regard TO this
that they are governed on one hand by
the Austrian court and on the other by
the Vatican: hence their complaints
against the Queen Regent, whom they
also blame for always remaining in re-
tirement when there IS question of her
presence at any great fete. They do not
know her. and consequently can have no
sympathy for her.
! say nothing of the young King, who
is never in question and who is only
known TO the people through his photo
graph displayed in the shop windows
and an Andalusian senator. who is an out
and out royalist. said to me In this con-
nection: The Queen Regent began by
losing the friendship OF her people, and
then lost their synpathies. Now she is
on the way TO lose their respect" 4"
The fact IS. the Queen Regent was not
present at the patriotic Gran Corrida, -.
the receipts from which were destined for
the national subscription the other day
because she feared a hostile demonstra-
ton which would certainly have occur
red had she passed through the streets.
As regards the war the people do not
entirely share the opinion of the Queen
Regent. The loss of Cuba and Porto
Rico and the Philippines would cause the
Spanish people to rejoice. ! am convinc-
ed of this because these colonies always
ruined them, and have benefited about
fifty ruined men who have gone there to
retrieve their fortunes with the support
of the government Cuba, Porto Rico.
and the Philippines were three mich cows
of the ruined grandees of Spain, and the
Spanish people were overwhelmed with
taxation to keep them up.
Let the Americans rid us of Cuba and
the Philippines. 1t would be the create
good they could do TO US. They ought to
have been given to them without war"
That is what I have heard. not once. but
two hundred times, from the mouths of
Spanish people. and am convinced that
immense majority think this now
How is this TO end2 In government cir-
cles there is a conviction that Europe will
intervene, ana this is the last hope which
seems to keep them up. Senior Gamazo
alone thinks that such intervention is not
10 be counted upon; for. he says, the Eu-
ropean Concert does not exist This has
recently been proved in the Cretan bust
ness. They are waiting without know
ing whittier they go in this lamentable
situation-war abroad and threat of rev.
olution at home!
Who will be the savior? Will it be Gen.
Weyler, whose atrocities in Cuba have
not alienated the malcontents, who hail
him in the streets with cries of Long
live the hero of Cuba.' Will it be Senior