The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-22

IL 1t comes to fighting between England
and Venezuela there will be some fun
and some hard knocks from an unex-
pected quarter. With only 100000 peo-
pie and no coast defenses TO speak of,
England might yet find 1t easier TO whip
country nearer her own size on the
other side of the water. Venezuela is far
better equipped to-day to defend herself
than the American colonies were in ln6,
and has a superior situation and natural
advantages that make her difficult for an
invading army 10 conquer The North
American coionists We're peace loving, but
the smoke of battle is the breath in the
nostrils OF the Venezuelan With an
earthquake on an average of once every
six days, a bombardment OF the capital
would be but trifiing incident There
are difficulties about that, too. England,
powerful but taught by experience Of
the doubtful advantage of even successful
war at long range. declines the challenge
of every colonial contest If, however,
she sets aside the precedent Of l20 years
and attempts 10 settle the moundary dis
pute with Venezuela by force of arms,
this IL the kind OF people she will have
TO night and the conditions under which
she VIII have TO do II.
An insane. benighted, bigoted, fanatical
blindness. rivaling that of Don Quixote.
ludfhS the ConuuCt Oh inc CpdnldTQ III
Spain: the slaves of Spain are damned
IN this world. whatever comes TO them
In the next, but the people who have freed
themselves from Spain-and always by
.heir own unaided efforts-are fire eaters,
and lost eternally is the man of them
who shows his back to an enemy. Their
courage is OF such "a description that
they dare be insolent 70 superior force.
Not so long ago President Crespo. of
hos a.
land. France and Germany one week to
get out of Caracas. They got out and
nothing happened. Since 1887 no minister
from Great Britain has been received in
the capital.
In 1910 Spain owned the entire continent
Of South America, with the exception of
Brazil. which was a Portuguese possess
sion. and French Dutch and British
Guiana on the Caribbean Sea The ex-
treme western boundary of British terri
tory was the Esequibo river. In 1910
Spain was peculiarly powerless I'm Europe:
the Bourbons had been succeeded by
Joseph Bonaparte. the country was under
French tribute. the priests robbed Of
power. Spain could torture and bleed no
where but beyond the seas. Even when
sick almost 10 death. Spain has never
ceased to aim her feeble blows at her pro-
grersiye offspring.
In the Spanish colonies the inquisition
was IN force through the first quarter
of the nineteeath century. The grandees
ruled with the despotism of the time of
isabella hereto was nut to the tor
ture. republican hanged. the builder OF
factory or ship or developer of a mine
was imprisoned and his property confs-
Gated The colonies were kept agricul-
tural 10 consume the product OF the fac
tories and maintain the commerce of
Spain, and imposts and direct taxes re-
plenished the constantly depleted trea-
surs Of the mother country. The native
creole population, of partially Spanish ex-
traction. however wealthy and cultivated
were treated with contempt by Spanish
officials, menaced by Spanish soldiers, pro-
gress defeated by Spanish laws. confessed
by Spanish priests I'm short. the southern
continent OF the western hemisphere was
treated much az Cuba was before the re-
bellion and will be again should the re-
vaiution be q failure.
n 1910 . Venezuelan creole. Simon Boil
vaf, returned 20 Caracas. the city OF
earthquakes. with a bride from Madrid
IN the years ne had passed in European
capitals. he had drunk deep Of the re-
evolutionary principles everywhere ram
pant. He met Lafayette and learned OF