Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-05-13
Spain and Uruguay.
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE BETWEEN
THE TWO COUNTRIES.

The Spanish government will recall
its representative at Montevldeo should
Uruguay fail TO give immediate salts
faction relative to the maltreatment Of q
Spauiard.
The relations of Uruguay with Spain,
France, Italy and Brazil have recently
become very serious on account of hor-
rible barbarities practiced by the author
tiles on foreigners temporarily staying
in the country. 1t has been the custom
during the years past that this country
has been under military rule to recruit
the battalions with persons forcibly cap
tured in the quiet, unprotected camp
districts. Press gangs in great emer-
gencies prowled the streets of Monte
video and arrested every one who might
be thought fir for military service; they
were carried to the barracks and not
allowed communication with the outer
world If protesting their right as q
foreigner, as a negative to serve in the
army, the lash or other brutal treatment
was Immediately administered, and pass
ports or protection papers of any kind,
to identify the parties, were taken and
destroyed. Another system was re-
sorted to in the camp by those sent
thither to protect and care for the well
fare of the industrious "campesions.
Spanish subjects have suffered severely
at the hands of the brutal military
authorities of that country. An intelli-
gent and we'll TODD young Spaniard was
recently murdered by his guard when
being conducted from Tacuarambo to
the Capital, under the false charge of
conspiracy. A friend who later espoused
his cause was afterward assassinated in
the town of Florida, as asserted, by
orders of the Chief of Police, who is
now under arrest in the public prison.
A demand has been made by the Span
ish authorities to have the culprits
properly punished and due satisfaction
given by the government. The brutali-
ties did not cease here. A French frigate
(Pallas) lately entered this port on her
way to the Pacific to coal, and allowed
some of her men, as customary, few
hoars' liberty on shore. Jack became
gay over his wine aud created q slight
disturbance; subaltern commlssary of
police attempted to carry the sailors to
prison, but as they did not understand
the Spanish language, refused to obey
his orders. He then ordered his guard
to attack the mariners, who were I'M
armed, and the result was that man
was disabled for life by serious wounds
received.
Why the Prairies Are Treeless.
Mr.. l.. I. Ward gives in the Kansas
City RerieD some reasons why the
Western plains are destitute of forests.
Where the annual rainfall exceeds
twenty-four inches the absence of for
ests is undoubtedly due to the repeated
burnings which take place on the
prairies from human agency. Where
the annual rainfall is below twenty, or
perhaps twenty-four, inches, there can
be no growth of forests, and this is the
true cause of the absence of trees on the
great plains. But this does not prevent
the existence in arid regions of certain
specialized types of arborescent vegeta-
ton. The sage brush that covers the
dreary wastes OF the Rocky Mountain
region, the Laramie plains, the Bitter
Greek valley, and such vast areas of the
West, while in its botanical characters
it is little more than an overgrown
weed, is to all intents aud purposes a
tree, and often attains a great age. The
region it occupies is even more arid
than the great plains, yet no fires occur
and no forests grow. In the nearly
rainless areas of Arizona, Southern
Utah and New Mexico, and stretching
eastwarl into Texas, there occur num-
Der of arborescent forms, the creosote
bush (Larrea Mexicana), the mesquit
(Prosopus juliflora), various acacias and
mimosas, and OF yucca (Y. brevifolia),
together with the tree cactus (Cereus
giganteus). These grow scattered at
great distances from each other and
rarely form thickets or groves. Why
no such characteristic species are found
occupying the great plains are not
known. and it is probably mere ac-
cident that none happen to exist,
adapted both to their temperatures and
their arid condition. Did any such
exist, there seems no reason why they
might not thrive as well as the sage
brush further west or the mesquit of the
South.
A Fish Story.
When the Cardinal de Benis was the
French ambassador to Italy his steward
acbipvad a caIabrafad triut,o,1h Tho