The Washington times., 1905-12-24
MAY ACKNOWLEDGE
SPANISH CLAIMS
Powers Would Hold Morocco
Conference at MaGrid.
SPAlN'S FUTURE IN AFRICA
No Longer a Power, It's Role in Inter
national Affairs Will Be a
Secondary One.
SPAlN'S FUTURE IN AFRICA

MADRID Dec. 23.-The opinion is
general mere that the selection Of Mad
rid as. the meeting place of the dele
indicates that the European powers ac-
knowledge Spains rights in Africa. and
there are many who expect that the
conference VIII bring great results
Now that Cuba. Porto Rico. and the
Philippines have been lost Spain has
arrived at the conclusion that .'the fU-
ture of the country is in African soil
AS a matter of fact. the selection Of
Madrid as the meeting place Of the
delegates does not anticipate any good
results for Spain. II is more likely that
Madrid has been selected because il Is
considered by the powers as neutral
ground In other words. that of all the
great nations OF Europe interested in
the controversy Spain is considered as
the one possessing less rights, and this
not because her claims over Morocco
are not so well founded as those OF the
other powers. not because she has not
acquired as many titles. al least. as
any Of them. but simply because SPAIN
is not considered capable of maintain
irg and supporting her claims.
This may be humiliating TO the Span
ish people. but 1t is true.
Spanish Claims.
On what ground would Spain ask to be
regarded as the most Influential power
in Morocco?
That she did more. perhaps. than any
other nation to acquire ascendency in
Moroccan affairs is an unauestionable
fact II was Spain. indeed. the only
European power that ever sent n pow
! erful army into Morocco and planted its
rational flag over the Sultan's capital.
1t is TO Spain that the future of Mo-
rocco shall interest the most. owing TO
! the geogra phical position of the penin-
;uIa. at least sixteen miles from the
African coast
But all these reasons will have no
weight before the delegates
Question of Might.
Ii is not a question of rights, hut OF
means.
What will Spain do If her claims over
Morocco are recognized? What can she
do2
Spain being no longer a great power
her role in international affairs must
nece. .sarily be a secondary one.
With the settlement OF DISPUTE over
Morocco. the European nations viii set
tie the far greater question of prepon-
derancy in the Mediterranean: the one
is the compliment of the other. and IL Is
unnecessary 10 say that Spain Will not
be reckoned with for the settlement of
the Mediterranean affair.
II will be either Germany. Great Brit
ain or France. Spain and Italy wiz be
relegated to the BACKGROUND and IL they
are 10 gain or lose anything by the out
come of the conference IL will depend
on their relations with the one power
OF the three above mentioned. that
should get the lions share in the par
tition that will no doubt. take place.
Too Ridiculous for Denial
The rumor has been widely circulated
abroad that young King Alfonso during
his visit TO England found occasion to
make himself agreeable to Queen Alex
andra by turning a few somersauIts in
one OF the galleries of the buckingham
Palace.
The story is too ridiculous to deserve
formal denial
The King. it is true. prides himself on
| his ability to execute the most daring
acrobatic feats with the precision of a
trained professional. but he is a too wen
educated and intelligent young man to
let his enthusiasm carry him so far
as TO perform his acrobatic stunts in
/ the presence of no less n respectable
person than the English Queen