Show A GERMAN VIEW OF SPAIN an article about spain in the german journal the nation edited by dr barth has attracted considerable attention in germany it may be taken as an indication of the turning of the tide of public opinion in that country the nation says the colon colonial lal of Spaniards the Is ceh centuries old the sorrows which the spanish motherland has laid upon her colonies transcend in needless cruelty and brutal extortion the colonial excesses of all other lands cuba the pearl of the antilles has been specially afflicted by spanish misrule historically spain long ago forfeited all claim to this colony to a certain degree indeed she to is responsible for the unfitness of cuba to assume the position of an independent state after she is separated from spain over cuba the united states will exercise some form of guardianship guardians bip that is as certain as it Is in that spain will lose the island altogether in the process of the worlds historical development the united states assume the role of the brusque performer of a necessary amputation put atlon in this war between formal right and historical necessity every respectable political consideration tends to inspire the wish that the imperative operation on the body politic of spain may be performed with vigor and dispatch dispa pa in determining which way our sympathies sy should be we are aided by the consideration that in spite of their indiscreet way of going about such matters the united states represent the sounder culture and an abounding vitality while spain presents a picture of decline and spiritual bondage the interest of the german people in the fate of spain is limited to a sort of esthetic sympathy and the german imperial government acts in accord with the public opinion of germany when it keeps within the bounds of strict neutrality and scrupulously abstains from putting any obstacles in the path of the americans the final outcome of the war to is not doubtful the disproportion of the powers to is too great even it if the united states should meet some reverses to in the beginning they would have scarcely any influence on the result even in the interest of spain it is to be hoped that the business busine sewill will not be protracted by trivial successes at the outset K R might gratify spanish pride to disable a few american worships or to bombard some large coast city but every week that the war was w prolonged by such success would drive a new nail in the coffin of financial credit and bring that hapless land nearer bankruptcy european diplomacy therefore can render spain no greater service than to convince the madrid government right soon that spain will preserve her honor and make no great sacrifice of her national pride arde if she yields to power and gives up cuba |