The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-06
SPANISH MINISTER
PRESENTS HIS SIDE,


Oeutes That spain 10 Practlc.
ing Cruelties In Cabs.
WASHINGTON. April S-The Spanish
minister. Senior Polo y Bernabe, was seen
at the Spanish legation today. and con-
sented to talk on the present condition OF
affairs. He spoke freely. and at times
with intense sarnestness0 The interview Is
authoritative throughout:
81 am stiii hopeful OF peace" said he.
Inat may seem optimistic at moment
when such passions are aroused. such ma
val and military operations are going on,
seems to be that war is inevitable. / cam
not say that ! base my view that peace
will prevail upon any direct or official ;n-
d dormation; On the contrary |. !. my e.
conviction that tn these enlightened days
two se!f-respecting nations. made up OF
men and women OF high aspirations and
10 that last And brutal expedient of war.
To be sure, l cannot close my eyes to GER
tain obvious circumstances existing both
inclined me to share the popular view thai
the relations or the two countries were fast
approaching an trreconcilable issue. And
yet. At no time has II seemed to me. nor
beyond the bounds OF a reasonable and
Just settlement, alike honorable 10 both
Can It be possible that your people will
consider only one side OF the case? There
are always two ejdee to case, and is II
JUS. or fair or chiyalrous for your people.
n1r"e on ~ Se spain .
That ends IT.?
"cuba has been colony Of Spain from
time mmemorls ~ :, the time OF IL:
~ part OF Spain there is clustered about
It reverence that = almost sacred.
Cuba II REGARDED b. our people Just a.
Union What n would Be e said afs some fo1
eign power said to the United States that
Illinois. or Texas, or Caitfc rnia must 90
:s :1d @ e ao yor q .erg the on us
brought into question! OF course. l can
undergtand that some one will rise up and
saw. Yes but the states are well governed
erned and In state OF instruction.
Then. again. simple justice and fairness
demand that there be something more than
brutal savagery existing in Cuba. do
not wish to deal In recrimination. But
give you my word that this savagery does
official and unofficial. Spanish and Ameri-
can agree that. whatever may have been
the condition of affairs a year or two
ago Gen hianSS hs: i1sms rna nnc
Of the man. Naturally. with an iusurrec-
ton In progress. military AFFAIRS have pur-
sued the usual methods Of military life;
al times by the determination to have
their operations worthy OF an honorable
nation and an honorable people. That is
M spsn mae iHus e 30 ans n
on the face Of the earth would do.
Now a. to autonomy. Il seems TO be
,. IN the o. e.
granted sH that: granted Il WIN the deep
est sincerity. II gives the cubans the
fairs They have a parliament of their
own and a cabinet Of their own ministers.
~ Il fair. just as this local parliament
pie Diet Cor control OF Cuban AFFAIRS to sweep
aside this entire system and to declare
that II is a failure before II has even been
tried? II the United States say that this
home rue IL not success. / reply. your
opportunities for investigation have not
been adequate, and moreover. success or
failure cannot he judged before a system
have been attended by difficulties not only
In the interior OF Cuba. but circumstances
without tending 10 defeat the very end
sought. Even though we may diner in
this. at least We should agree that the
judgment OF one should not be forced ar
bftrarIly upon the other. For the mo-
ment IL seems az though this equitable
autonomy u failure. We say So That
ends Ii. Spain must not say that she II
either sincere or that the pan In a sue
cess.' Now. is such an attitude consistent
with the usua. process CT considering
both sides OF a question: Can seif-re-
speeding nation admit OF such a con-
tsmptuous disposition Of policy she has
presented in The interes; OF peace and
prosperity for cuba7
''As 10 the reconceutrados, while there
In no doubt Of the. misery OF their coudt-
tion. the government IN making the most
heroic efforts 10 alleviate this condition.
As to the insurgents. they have borne
arms against Spain for three years. en-
failing terrible loss of life and money.
Yet, believing those men TO be misguided,
the government has sought to regain their
confidence. I fully recognize fae earnest
ness patriotism and intense vssor o. the
American people. bu; feel that II - not
a profoundly solemn moment earnsStness
and strength should b tempered With 4
calm judgment and disposition 10 look
at both sides Of the aue$fson, ana not 10