The man who shot Canovas declared, when he was arrested, that his brother had been tortured in Barcelona, and that he had killed the Minister in revenge.

Great statesman and good friend to the crown as Canovas was, he was a bad friend to the people.  He believed in force.  It was he who chose General Weyler to go to Cuba, well knowing his ferocious character, and that he would be sure to treat the insurgents with great severity.

Now that Canovas is dead the Cubans believe that the war will soon be brought to a close.  They think that Sagasta will be appointed to fill the place of the murdered Minister, and that he will at once recall Weyler, and send Campos in his place.

They think that Sagasta will offer them home rule, and if they refuse it, and show a determination to continue the war, that Sagasta will weaken and offer to give up the island for a sum of money.

One Cuban, being asked what effect he thought the death of Canovas would have, replied: 

“He has done more to harm Cuba than Weyler, and through his death the unfortunate island will lose two of her worst enemies.  Canovas’ death means Cuba’s freedom!” But, naturally, a Cuban’s estimate of a Spanish Minister cannot, be accepted as an unprejudiced one.

To his sovereign and his country Senor Canovas has ever been a most faithful servant.  In him the Queen Regent loses the one man on whom Spain relied for help out of her present difficulties.

* * * * *

The Coal Strike is still unsettled.

A determined effort is being made to get the Pittsburg miners to join the strike.  There is a great Pittsburg firm called the New York and Cleveland Gas and Coal Company, of which Mr. W.P.  De Armitt is the head.  It is a most important firm, and the strikers think that if they can only get De Armitt’s men to join them they are sure of success.

The De Armitt men are, however, quite content with their treatment, and not anxious to join the strike.  To win them over, large bands of striking miners have camped near the De Armitt mines, and every morning they march to the pit’s mouth, intercepting the men as they are going to work, and urging them to join the strike and help their fellows.

They have already persuaded many of the men to leave work.

They have been very orderly so far, and though fears of violence are entertained, as yet there has been no rioting.

The only person who has got into trouble has been Debs.

When the strike was first organized, Debs and the other labor agitators declared that it was impossible for the strike to fail if the miners only held together.  They gave such a rosy picture of the whole affair, that many of the miners believed that the great strike would be settled with little delay or trouble.

They were quite unprepared for the long and bitter struggle into which it has developed, and many of them are angry with Debs and the other agitators for misrepresenting affairs to them.  Debs is therefore losing influence with the miners just now.