The record-union., 1896-03-07

than all that wealth South America had
poured into Spanish Golfers during a
quarter of a century before 1889 From
that loss, not only in means, but in
credit and prestige, Spain never has re-
covered, and possibly never will.
As gradually, bit by bit, her posses
sicns have been wrenched from her, her
condition has become more unfortunate.
Poverty affects races in different
ways. Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
when compared with the rest of Europe,
are poor, but fairly contented countries.
1t is in the character of the men them
selves that the differences are percept-
ible. These northern countries have
had no precedents of wealth. Scanda-
navia at the beginning Of our European
civilization conquered a fringe of coun-
try, but only that portion where her
ships might land her freebooters. They
sat cked. pillaged and harried the land
Rut only little of their booty reached
their own Businesses. The men were
not spoiled by their corquests. These
were of too short a duration to leave
any lasting impression. When the time
came, these instincts of marauding were
lest. The Scandinavians changed their
characteristics, because the effects of
the medieval period had covered but a
brief span in their existence.
1t becomes, then, question whether
the even distribution or means, neither
great riches nor squalid poverty, is not
the better
Spain has never forgotten her period
of conquest, which. beginning a few
VIC of or hn nf ha ci " tnp1 n
century, may be said to have lasted
not more than 80 years With tena-
cious memory, she invariably recalls
her fallen greatness. She will not be
satisfied with what are the conditions
forced on her She fails to recognize
that any colonial possessions she holds
is only worth anything to her so long
as it increases the commercial pros
perity, not alone of herself, but of her
colonies. There is feeling of pride in
the Spaniard, as an individual, which
makes him utterly oblivious to the
changes of the world. He still dreams
of past grandeur, but the cloak of his
self-conceit is patched and worn out.
and scarcely covers him. Who doubts
THAT the Government would feel de-
graded in its own eyes, in the eyes OF
its people, did it lose Cuba or the Phil
ippine Islands? But do what she may
maybe not to-day, but tomorrow
both these possessions must fall away
from her, because Spain always has
sucked the life-blood out of her colo
nies, without increasing her own vital
ity.
1t is these mistakes and her utter in
difference to all sensible methods of
colonial government that have lost for
Spain the sympathies of the world.
Apart, however, from present ques-
tions of colonial policy, it is the most
unfortunate methods she employed in
the past which exercises to-day their
sinister effects It is the sheer cruelty
of the early Spaniard in the West In
dies and in South America which the
world has never forgiven.
Insecure at first as to his footing, it
might have been that the Spaniard
made up his mind to hold his place by
sheer terror. He held on to his con-
guests by absolute determination. Long
ago the idea of the conversion of the
natives as a Spanish motive was aban-
doned. 1t was gold the Spaniard cared
for more than souls. All the conquer
ors were essentially gentlemen adj
venturers,'' by courtesy, and in the six
teenth and seventeenth centuries the
line between an adventurer and a rob-
Der was but a faint tracing Perhaps
this taint of cruelty was not at first
confined to the Spaniard, for the Eng
lish gentleman adyenturer resembled
him. But while the Spaniard continued
his wicked purposes, urged by greed,
the Englishman stopped Public opin-
ion at home, in England, acted as a
restraint Queen Elizabeth might have
been Indifferent at first as to whence
came her collaret Of precious stones.
Philip II. Was not. Perhaps the Eng