New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-11
SPANISH ETTERANCES.

Two interesting utterances come to hand,
made by two Of the foremost men OF SPAN.
One is the Prime Minister. The greatest OF Op-
portunists has become the deepest or pessi-
mists and no wonder. He realizes and openly
confesses that Spain is ovcrmatched IN her
struggle with the United States. Nor is that
all He realizes and confesses that Spain Is
desolated and ruined by internal troubles.
And both statements are exactly true. 1t can
not he said that the former is because or the
latter Had Spain been we'll governed and kept
well prepared she would not have been able TO
cone with this Nation Nevertheless. she would
have made far better showing. II matters not
whether we reckon that msgovernment In Cuba
was merely an extension Of disagreement in
Spain. or that the latter was reflection Of the
former One or the other has been the case.
Perhaps both. The essential fact Is that the
Peninsular government has been about as bad.
In its way, as the Colonial. and has brought
Spain to ruin Just the other has driven Cuba
TO revolt.
Senior Sagasta speaks truly. too, when he says
he did not desire war. Credit Is to be given to
Kim for pacific desires and for sufficient knowl
edge Of affairs TO see from the outset the mad
LESS Of such a war He was have all along
LIMOGES" Of Spain led by Weyler Of the itch
irg palm-the very men who are now most
vcnomously turning against him For, ms he
also says with the note Of deepest melancholy,
Spain is not united in the face Of the foe. A
powerful faction IS intriguing against the Gov
eminent and doing all it can TO embarrass IT,
That fact alone would be sufficient 10 make the
most buoyant Minister despair.
The other utterance comes from n Spaniard
outside Of Spain--Don Carlos. That shifty and
truculent Pretender has hitherto let II be under
stood that in the present crisis be would not
push his claims to the throne, but would give
his influence for the success OF Spain against
the foreign foe. Now he throws off the mask.
He is for Don Carlos first and for the Father
land second He will seek his opportunity for
Observation-Disclosures in SPANS distress. He will
draw to himself. so far as possible all the Gle
ments of discomfort and disatfectiOn. and use
them against the existing dynasty. Especially
will he draw TO himself Weyler the Butcher.
whom ne declares Ia be a man after his own
heart and a typical Spanish cavalier NO Won
der that in the face of such a combination the
Prime Minister is respondent and declares that
Spain IS ruined by internal troubles He sees
that Don Carlos and Weylcr would be glad 10
see Spain beaten and Inundated, II so they
could gain their own selfish ends.
II is melancholy spectacle. one would wish
for a nation so proud and dignifed as Spain
decent and dignifed dispatch. But it is decreed
that II shall he otherwise Domestic dlssension
adds dishonOr 10 the sting Of foreign conquest.
II IS not brave man contending with adver-
sity II is the aged roue' of THE Saturday
Review" coming to his end in disorder and dis
honor But Whatever will be-. Will be" IS n
Spanish proverb, and 1t is fulfilled in SPANS
own case. BY her own faulty and fatuous con
duct she has doomed herself 10 a disastrous
fate and from that fate there Is no escape.