The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-09

prospect of a pacific solution. The most
curious feature throughout the crisis has
been the fact that during the past six
months the Spanish people and their rulers
have not seemed TO realize that the Amerl-
can people and the President were IL earn
est though reluctant to go 10 war. In the
United States diplomacy and the executive
seem hardly to have realized how difticult
Ii would be to induce proud little Spain To
relinquish her hold upon Cuba and Porto
Rico. Up to the very last moment Ameri-
can diplomacy and the President have so
little understood the real state of things in
the domestic affairs Of Spain as to fancy
that the pressure of financial and money
interests, the arguments of few far-seeing
and enlightened men like Seniors Moret,
Gullon and Puigcerver and the alleged i'm
mense influence of the Pope over the Span
ish court and the Catholics could weigh in
the balance against the popular and military
classes against the deep and widespread
hostility of all classes toward the United
States and against the fear in the court and
of the Carlists and the Republicans of Wey-
Ter and political agitation.
up TO the last also American diplomacy
and the President had hoped that the adj
vice of the European powers. with the sup
port Of the Pope, would prove enough to
force the hand of the Queen Regent and her
ministers and to decide them to accept an
armistice the first step towards accept
ance of Cuban independence in considera-
ton Of an indemnity of two or three hum
bred million dollars which is deemed by
Spaniards utterly inadequate as material
compensation even IL they had consented
III. IL
the nation. from the highest to the low
est, believe that IL Cuba must be lost 1t is
better to lose after having inflicted serious
and, If possible prolonged harm upon the
nation that has so long and deeply wronged
Spain in Cuba.
Despite the profound animosity prevail
ing against America, so far not a single
act of aggressive ess has been reported
against American private resident or the
official representatives of the United States
Nevertheless the government and the au-
and in the provinces lest the violent ar
ticles of the Republican and independent
press should fan the popular excitement.
My telegram Tuesday night was sup
pressed because l committed the sin of
mentioning the strong feeling existing
among military men of all ranks against
any surrender of Spanish rights or terri
tory in the West Indies. and the general
impression that Senior Sagasta would re-
quire all his tact and energy to avoid a
split in the Liberal Cabinet. split has
long been brewing because men like Gen.
Correa Admiral Bermejo and Count VI
quena are to a certain extent representa-
tive of the feelings of classes and inter-
ests adverse to the new colonial policy,
whereas the ministers of finance, foreign
affairs and the interior, and, above ALL the
colonies, are men in q position to foreSee
and understand the drift of events and the
grave consequences for Spanish finance, for
the prospects of the Cabinet and the mon
archy and for the future of the nation it.
self, il Spain embarks upon an unequal
struggle, of which the issue is a foregone
conclusion. 1t is only fair to say that Sc
nors Moret Gullon and Puigercerver. will,
however, stand by Senior Sagasta calamity
If American aggression or circumstances in
Spain oblige the government to side with
those who already say openly that Cuba Is
lost anyhow; that even home rule is sure
to lead to independence, and that, therefore,
it would be better to lose the colonies after
fair fight and an honorable duel with the
United States.
Spanish people, it must be borne in mind
that their press and government have en-
couraged them to believe that their navy,
with a little vigor in preparation, could
compete easily in the first brush with the
American navy. Taen, again, they had been
led to suppose that their military organiza-
ton in colonies like Cuba, Porto Rico and
the Philippines could undertake to punish
severely any aggression on land from the
very small regular force and poorly organ
lied militia of America. At home they are
persuaded that their coasts and forts have
nothing to fear, as the reserve c&a ne called
out and the coast guarded wit g IT diff
Guilty. They put much confidence Ia the idea
of sending privateers to raid : OIL the
American merchant and c0astine fleets.
These optimistic views are rot shared i'll
high political and professional circles,
whose grave apprehension exisi 'tgarding
trade and communication with ,i,e colonies
and the dispatch of relief am provisions.
especially for Spanish forces II Cuba that
used to get most of their supplies from the
United States.
.'It is necessary TO call attention to the
conduct of the press censors of Madrid. No
body can dispute their right under the
treaty to stop obnoxious kilograms alto
gether in a moment of scare. That scare.
however. has now reached such a pitch tnat
even the telephone lines to the Spanish
provinces are vigorously watched ana
checked as the kilograms. But the press
censors persist in ignoring the fact that the
international telegraph treaties do not au-
thorize delays of several hours in transmits
sion to suit their convenience and that or
all the ministerial departments, which re-
quire translation of foreign press messages:
Another abuse is the fact that weeks and
months elapse before money disbursed for
suppressed kilograms is repaid.