Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-07
In SPAIN.
4 SACRAMENTAN'S IMPRESSION
OF THE COUNTRY.
Its Similarity to California in Many
Respects-The People, ArB,
Agriculture, Etc.
Correspondence of the RBcoRD-UsIoS


graphical distribution, nature of soil,
climate and products. The resemblance,
however, ends right there, for in manners,
customs, ideas and tendencies no greater
divergence can be found. The activity,
energy, enterprise, skill and industry 50
manifest everywhere in California is here
almost entirely absent.
The most remarkable feature here is the
number of church establishments and their
magnifcence. In nc other part of the
world is there TO be found SO much labor,
art and treasure consecrated for church
purposes Nor are there many other
countries where so much pauperism is to
be found. The country and cities literally
swarm with beggars. Healthy, robust
men and women, boys and girls-even
children of tender age-are to be met with
almost everywhere, importuning for aims
and get | saw several hundred horses in
the royal stables housed, fed and groomed
as if they were created in the image of
God
What a change there would be for the
better if the thousands of idle soldiers here
could be converted into school teachers.
and made to do duty in teaching the peo-
pie to read and write. In agriculture here
the people have scarcely advanced from
the state in which this art was carried on
centuries ago.
In conversation with gentleman repre-
senting Swedish agricultural implement
house at Madrid, he told me that the peo-
pie used rude iron knife fastened to a
beam, and this was their plow After re-
peated efforts he managed to place few
Swedish plows in the hands of farmers.
Nearly all of these were returned with the
remark that the laborers would not use
them because they had two handles.
But" said the merchant, you can tell the
men that if they do not wish TO use two
handles they can use one" 1t was in vain
the merchant could sell no plows So, as
last resort, plows were ordered to be
made with one handle, one of which was
shown me.
Appleton's Guide Book states that the
population of Spain is II, 300,S51, which is
considerably less than half that contained
here before the time of the Inquisition.
Now if Spain, with its present mode of de-
fective tillage, its absence of industrial
occupations, its lack of energy and enter
prise, can support population of 17,000,-
600 people, what cannot California do,with
a territory as great, with soil and climate
far superior, with greater extent of arabic
land, with ample capital, energy and en-
terprise at her command?
True, California has large tracts of land
unsuited for purposes Of cultivation, but so
has Spain, and, if anything, the extent of
sand and gravel desert in Spain is greater
than in California. A large portion of the
country-almost the entire northern half
is situated on a plateau from 1000 to
5000 feet high Much of this plateau con-
sists of untillable desert, and it is not until
we pass south Of the line of Madrid that we
find soil resembling that of our favored
Sacramento valley.
Yesterday while on our way from Toledo,
f. Crompton, a merchant of Toronto,
Canada, occupied an opposite seat in the
cars with us, and in conversation about
California, gave me to understand that he
thought the California boom swindle.
He talked disparagingly, especially of
Los Angeles. The following conversation
then took place:
"Have you Travelled much through
Spain?'
Yes, through the southern half"
Have you stopped over for any length
Of time in any Of the important southern
tities?p
Yes, in Malaga, Cadiz, Granada Cor
dova, Seville, and other places"
Now, were you to divide Spain in half
north and south-would you not think
that the southern half would contain eight
and q half million population, or half the
population of Spain?'
Perhaps, but | do not know. 1t is
probable, however, that the southern half
contains more than half the population of
Spain, because the valuable land and eli
mate of this country is in the southern
part, in what is known as Andalusia"
"Good and now, if this lower half of
Spain can support eight and half million,
can we not, with equal area of land, su-
perior soil because it is not exhausted by
centuries of cropping) and better mode of
tillage, can we not, in California, support a
like number of inhabitants ,"
81 see no reason why you should not"
Nov, observe that we have scarce
million for the entire State, anticipating
the arrival of the millions that are to come,
-SCtiilS oiilCnQ lASll NOLlGii dT6
investing their means in the purchase of
real estate, thereby obtaining a home in
a favored portion of the world, or there
may be those who invest expecting that
an increase in population will result in en-
HANGED value. Now, neither of these pur-
chasers are likely to be disappointed in
the end"
eyes, if you have the soil and climate of
southern Spain, your boom appears to be
perfectly legitimate"
am of the opinion that not alone is
California destined to attain the population
of Spain, but that in time it will more than
double it. saw no orange trees north of
Madrid, and but very few vineyards 1t is
only after leaving Madrid that olive trees
and vineyards are to be seen.
Madrid seems a city of forced growth.
/ have never seen large city in any
other country that has so few natural rea-
sons for being large city as Madrid. The
surrounding country is a bleak, barren
desert Here and there the granite powders
have been pried out and a patch of farm
manufactured. Evenafter all the bowlder
prying has been done, the residue is coarse
decomposed granite sand and gravel.
There is no navigable river here, nor is
ii seaport nor is it manufacturing
town. About the only reason why this
desert spot was selected for the metropolis
of Spain, is that 1t is situated in the center
of Spain. Business is generally trans
acted here at night, carriages and street.
criers are as hard at work at O'clock A. NJ.
as in New York at noon. An early morn
ing visit at the bank here is at II A. NJ.
Breakfast at y NJ, dinner at p NJ, and
supper sometime in the wee sma' hours.
The Escurial is about two hours from
Madrid by rail. We were there last Sun
day. 1t is rather disappointing in its ex-
terror, being dwarfed by some high hills
in close proximity. Inside, however, it is
grand and harmonious. The collection of
pictures in the Escurial and in the " FL
Museo" in the city is said to be the largest
and finest in the world. We were shown
over 800 originals by Murillo. Yalesquez,
Van Dyke, Titan, lourdan, Tintoretto, Ru-
bens and other celebrated masters. This
magnificent collection would by far do
more good than now If it were sold at asc-
ton and the proceeds used in improving
the modes of agriculture and in establish
ing popular scientific schools. With
bankrupt treasury, and country full of
paupefs, what an Inconsistency it is to have
untold treasures hung up on the walls of