The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-04

oilers ne has m CNba.
Nobody but fool would have forced
us into this war when It became mani
fest that bis misrulc I'm Cuba had so
outraged the people OF the United States
that they had determined 70 put an end
TO it. any man In the world but a Span
lard would have Withdrawn from the
island and have left the Cuhans 20 them
selves Some other nationallties might
have initiated the bad tenant OF Junus
who. upon getting notice TO quit, broke
up an the furniture on the place. but any
other nationality I'm SPANS place would
have quit all the same. Not so with the
spaniard Though any other sane man
could see he was entering upon a war in
which nc must be destroyed. he com
placontiy threw himself back upon a long
line Of ancestors and notified the world
that ne would return shot for shot with
a grandfathcr's curse lie would show
mankind that the educated pig could not
stand long against such a bombardment
as that
II Is by no means certain that the
spaniard IS going to give the thing up
vet. Knowing he had lost Cuba, he de-
IibcrateIy raised his fleet in addition, and
whom all his ships are sunk he may con-
tInue 10 vlWfy MS from afar and annoy
our shipping with priyateers
The speech made on Saturday last IN
the Cortcs by Senior sllvela may, how
ever. contain a germ Of hope that even
the spaniard is beginning 20 learn some
thing. Ho declared that as Cuba was al
ready lost and tho nation was only
fighting 20 save fits honor. 1t behooved
the Ministers to assume without hesita-
ton the responsibility Of deciding when
the point OF honor had been sufficiently
satisfied.
in all this Spanish talk about honor
It is 90 be remembered that there is no
question involved Of thai true honor that
q country maintains by performing its
moral obligations and doing its duty TO
itself and TO an others. 1t is the monk
ish sentimontality Of the Latin races
that is being discussed-which looks upon
a breach Of its etiquette as the highest
crime
IL the real honor Of a self-respectins
nation were the matter in question we
could fairly expect from this speech OF
Senior snvela that Spain was awakening
TO the fuulity and the absurdty Of h1
fight, and that she was preparing TO
abandon Cuba and thereby put an end
to tho war. But we fear Spanish turkey
cock pride and the false notions Of a
pseudo honor were more I'm Senior Sill
vcla's mind than any true regard for the
solo honor Of his country. and that what
he had I'm view was more to drag the
other dcspotisms Of Europe into SPANS
quarrel than TO have his country do that
which justice and right would demand Of
her. He went ON TO say that when the
Ministers became satisfied that Spain
had fought TO the point Of Satisfying
honor" the time would have come for
appealing to the nations Of Europe so
that they could decide what ought to be
done TO restore peace and determine the
ltNf Nl n Nhar hfNdNNn dAi NitN 4 N'''A'
were interested I'm Cuba's future.
That does not look much like prepa-
rations for meeting the situation in
the spirit Of one who intends TO do justice
above an else. It is more like plea 20
Europe. 1--WE have fought like men
against great odds; now come to our aid
and force the big man TO stop beating
u.s."
We fear that is an Senior suvela meant
Nevertheless. what he said is capable Of
a more liberal construction and let us
hope that at least one spaniard has
turned up who is amenabie to reason
and who does not really believe that the
methods of the year 1900 are those thot
rule the earth to-day. II is the hardest
luck upon us that we had 10 fight this war
with am of our domestic troubles sill
unsettled. but let US keep mp a brave
heart and hope that We may secure com
mon sense as an ally I'm Spain-even
though 10 should inhabit but one head.