The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-11-17
From the New York Times
CONDITION OF SPAIN-THE MOORISH
QUESTION.

CONDITION OF SPAIN-THE MOORISH
QUESTION.
The intelligence that Spain has actually taken
up arms once more against the Moors, might
be received in ordinary times, by the rest of the
world, with comparative Indifference, or, at the
best, with glow of purely historical and re-
fected interest. The picturesque annals of the
long wars which ended with the triumph of the
Cross over the Crescent at Granada, on the
very eve of the discovery of America, might
seem to stir again with sudden lie at the news
that CASTLE and Leon are marching once more
against the heirs of the great Moghrebbin en-
plre. And the curious in historical contrasts
and condolences might speculate upon the sin
gular chance which revives under Isabella ii,
and carries boldly into Africa the deadly strife
which eliminated in victory under Isabella l
on the soil of Europe. But for all the intrinsic
Importance Of the conflict itself to the commerce
or the politics of mankind at large, Spanish
expedition against the pirates of the opposite
| Barbary coast would have made itself no more
felt and talked of beyond the Spanish borders
ten years ago than trial of strength between
Portugal and Mozambique, or the Netherlands
and the Sultan of Borneo
1t is not so now. The leading journals of
Great Britain and the Continent comment upon
the preliminaries of the approaching collision
| symptoms of coming rupture between Russia
and Austria or Germany and France. The
question of Morocco has suddenly assumed the
proportions of an European difficulty, evokes
expressions of anxiety from the official journals
of States apparently quite foreign to the quar-
rel, and makes itself felt on the money markets
of Paris and London. In all this there is
meaning hidden, which is certainly not to be
sought for in the Moorish question as it stands
between the Christian kingdom and the Mohom-
medan empire Immediately concerned, to which
the United States as a great commercial nation
cannot possibly remain Indifferent; and which
it is very important that we should neither un-
derrate nor exaggerate. All Europe is not
agitated with a vague indefnable apprehension
| of imminent mischief merely because Spain,
after few years of prosperous repose from the
eXhaustng passions of civil war, finds herself
strong enough to draw once more the sword of
the Cid.
Spain has undoubtedly made most astonish-
| ing progress in wealth and enterprise during
the last five or six years time. Since the year
1895, for instance nearly 5000 miles Of rail
| way lines have been put under construction in
| Spain; and more than one thousand miles are
already open to traffic, and paying an average
| OF nearly six per cent interest on the capital
| invested. These works have been carried on
| by private enterprise; and the State, meanwhile
is drawing, not from the ordinary revenues, but
! from the demortization of the ecclesiastical
properties, sum equal to nearly $50, 900, 900
annually for eight years, which is devoted to
the development Of the post-roads, the. naval
and military resources, and the charities of the
State. The income of the Government from
taxes and customs has also been steadily in
creasng the customs revenue alone gaining,
between 1913 and 1857, an advance of more
than " per cent. Facts like these indicate a
| very decided regeneration in the substance and
| heart OF the Spanish nation, and may well en-
title the movements of its policy to a degree of
respect and attention from other Powers which
the Spain Of Ferdinand VII could hardly have
exacted. But they hardly presage an ,imme-
date renewal of the policy to which Phillip III
gave his life.
No one, probably, not even the apocalyptic
DIR. Cumming who has been on the lookout for
the Great Tribulation " these ten years past,
and has snuffed the battle of Armageddon in
every political imbrOglio since the last Revolu-
ton of Paris, can have begun to anticipate a
new Spanish Armada as the result Of the
amazing vigor of the O'Donnell Ministry. 1t
Is true, our British cousins were seriously ex-
ercised in their minds, last summer, because
Spain had ordered ten light-draft gun-boats to
be built in London but this was passing
! peril, and has long since been explained away.
| Nbt'i'i AldHioH NcSlBlS, put what cOnStruc-
uon upon them we may, are not at the bottom
OF the actual anxiety with which the expedition
now arming against Morocco is watched by the
| Cabinet and the journalists of England.
Nor can it be safely assumed that the Moor
lsh question has merely served as a Natural
vent for the gathering uneasiness and distrust
! which have been engendered in Europe by the
delays and uncertainties attendent upon the
settlement of Italian affairs. SO long as the |
Italian Peninsula remains in what we may
term ITS present condition of suspended or
! ganization, so long, of course, it will be inn |
possible for any thoughtful statesman or OBJ |
server TO regard peace as permanently restored |
/ on the Continent; and so long every new move |
ment OF the Powers implicated in the Italian
! dispute must be the signal for new doubts |
alarms, and inquiries. But the issue now raised
! between the Spaniard and the Moor anneore |
| upon the lace OF things to be so thoroughly in
! dependent of all the matters debated A Villa. |
1ranca, and left undecided at Zurich, that we
must look INTO itself alone for an explanation
OF the emotion which it is awakening and the
attention IT has received. In the extravacant
language used upon this subject by the Torv
| press OF England, this explanation is not very
! dlhlcult to be found. The organs of Lord Der
by and Mr.. Disraeli are naturally on the alert
to discover any rising cloud on the political
horizon which may promise to blacken the pros.
poets and disconcert the plans of the Palmers |
tonian Government and the London Herald
has accordingly seized upon the Moorish oues.
ton as involving grave issue yet to be raised |
between England as the holder of military sta. |
tons in the Mediterranean, and Spain as the
possible conqueror of Tangier and the African |
shore OF the Straits of Gibraltar.
Should this issue arise. the Herald MORN.
England, and not unwisely, that Spain will |
hardly be left to assert alone her claims m dis.
pnte what the Herald coolly calls the rightful |
maritime supremacy" of England in the
waters water. which battle the Spanish coast. The
N OF Queen Isabella are informed tbrt
lhey attempt to occupy Tangier, Mopador or
any other portion of Morocco, thew strike q
ploW at English interests, and NAV receive in
return deadly blow at Cuba.D This ;s the
true moorish question" from the Torv Eng.
Hsn point OF view; and that England. shouid
she attempt to treat the matter from tI;o "O ~;
tude, would speedily find herself face 'I =. S'o
with an antagonist more Formidable CO.. Ia"
the Spain of Philip H. may be ufic;entln nan
cred from the tone of the French press ga a.
more than limited, in the remarkable sa ~nu rs
tcia article which we this morning pubIsb "a
translation, forwarded to us by our oor,a 10
pondent at Paris. In this article, the French /
i Qrar L.