The times., 1899-01-05

die of hunger and priyation In the streets
of the native towns. Credence has been
given more than ever to these tales, since
the first transport from Manila arrived at
Barcelona this week with over twelve hun
dred men in a woful plight, who gave most
distressing accounts of the condition OF
those they had left behind in the American
and in the native lines in the Philippines.
Public opinion and the press exercise
much pressure on the Government to do
something to move the President and Gov
ernment of the United States to put stop
to the sufferngs of the miserable debris of
the Spanish residents in the archipelago.
Spaniards recognize that the American
Government will have TO act with tact
as well as energy in insisting upon Agui-
naldo and the other chiefs handing over
the American generals 1.-The survivors of
the eleven thusand prisoners so long left
in the power of revengeful and spitefui
savages.'' e.
1t is curious to observe how anxious most
Spaniards are to find out how the Tagals
will get on with their new rulers. General
Polavieja, one of the last governor gen.
erals of the Philippines. condensed very
well the prevalent impression, when he
lately said: 10
Trust 10 the Tagals to slow thc Yankees very
steadily and tenaciously under the cautious and
treacherous ways of the Malay and Eastern races,
that the establishment OF aAngis-Saxon methods
OF government and administration is. perhaps,
less palatable to The natives of the archipelago
than the free and easy, sem-military, sam-re-
hgious and paternal rule Of their old Castillian
masters. II the Americans let the Tagas govern
themselves they will relapse into harbarism and
pagansm. If they attempt to- reduce them to
sibJection and to colonze the principal islands,
outside Luzon especially, they must be prepared
for years OF costly and, slnguinary struggle
with warlike races that seldom say die. even if
severely chastised. English. Dutch and Spanish
have discovered this at their bitter cost in all
Malay lands.
In nI-Humor with Europe
Another feature OF the state Of mind of
Spaniards Immediately after the close of
the peace negotiations is their evident i'll
humor against all European governments,
and more strikingly against Eng and
Even France, who has shown them her
cordial sympathies in so many ways, down
to the grant of the grand cross of the
Legion of Honor, which the ambass ador
NJ. Patenotre, conveyed to Queen Chris
tina with very courteous and kind mes
sage from President Faure, is reproached
with net having done enough to take the
lead of the continental powers which
Spain obstinately believes to have been
disposed to act in her favor II England's
interference ndu not Checked the CO0teln-
plated concert of the great powers.
Russia is not now viewed with much
favor, and, like Austria, is accused of
having wavered, and finally given way to
the fear of driving the United States into
the arms of Great Britain. Germany and
the emperor are certainly not in high
favor, because at enc time they had raised
sanguine hopes, and also because Span
iards have not yet quite forgotten the scare
that Bismarck gave them in 1885, when he
attempted to secure footing in the Caro-
line Islands.
That footing it will not cost German
diplomacy much trouble to obtain if the
emperor chooses, as public opinion is de-
cidedly favorable to the idea o. parting
with distant colonies, to avoid expense and
international conflicts
The cession of the Caroines. Marianas
and Ladrones to any European nation, and
particularly to Germany, Prussia, or
France, would be popular in Spain. out
side of the purchase money, because every
Spaniard would be delighted to place such
powerful neighbors near the Americans of
Philippines, and as likely auxiliaries some
day of the Tagals This is openly con-
fessed in the press and in all political
and official circles.
AS regards the widespread animosity
against England, far from subsidng. it is
kept up steadily by the organs of the cab
met and of the Conservative opposition
quite as much as by the jingo papers, like
El Imperial. El Heraldo Ell Liberal, and
the caricature weeklies. II has been motto
ed that not unfrequently these papers
state that they have derived from the Of
fetal circles and from diplomatic sourc s
the information they every now and then
publish concerning the designs OF Englan
ON both shores of the Sfraifs Of G bra tar.