Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-06-26
WHAT SPAIN THINKS.
THE DoNs ARE VERY BITTER To-
WARD THIS COUNTRY.

HlkuN Bb-lhtnH we ARC DnTEntetuls
The Feeling Toward Cabs.
Mr.. Hobart @. Chatasld- Taylor, who
was the escort of the Spanish infanta
Eulalia when she visited this country at
the time of the Chicago exposition, and
whose favorable disposition toward the
Spanish government has been officially
recognized by royalty, returned to New
York last week from Spain, where he
had spent several months. While at
Madrid short time ago he had the
honor of being presented to the queen
regent, and he also had interviews with
number of Spanish statesmen. AS soon
as he arrived in America he conversed
with the reporters about Spanish affairs,
the Cuban war and the attitude of Spain
toward the United States.
While in Spain he observed the pc
culiar state of the Spanish mind as fol-
lows:
81 saw and heard enough to convince
me that the Spanish people and the
Spanish press have an intensely bitter
feeling against the United States. "
We have information which confirms
the truthfulness of this remark of Mr..
Chatfield-Taylor, who, we may say, is
an American of Chicago. The curious
thing in this case is that the feeling
spoken of is all on one side. The Ameri-
cans have not an intensely bitter feeling
against the Spaniards. On the contrary,
we are their well wishers. We do no.
reciprocate their hatred. We desire that
they shall enjoy liberty, peace and all
their rights We respect their honor.
We do not seek to interfere in their af-
fairs We have had reason to esteem
many individuals among them, and, in
deed, we have an especial liking for
many Of the qualities and high adj
miration for many of the traits Of the
Spanish people. We say frankly that the
bitterness of the Spaniards against the
Americans is not relevant to any bitter
ness of the Americans against the Span
iards.
Look next at another remark Of Mr..
Chatfield-T Taylor:
There is no question in my mind
that Spain, if not desirous Of war, is
not averse to a conflict with this coun-
try. F"
Here again is a difference between
the two countries. We are unwilling to
engage in conflict with Spain. We are
averse to such a conflict. We desire to
live at peace with Spain. Spain has no
cause Of quarrel with us. We ask moth
ing but fair play from Spain. In num-
Der Of instances this country has mani
tested its good disposition and its long
suffering toward Spain. We should
think that if Spain were in her right
mind and were acquainted with us she
would be exceedingly averse to con-
flict with the United States. 1t would
be very foolish thing for Spain to
force quarrel upon us.
Mr.. Chatfield- Taylor speaks of Spain
in this way
"Spain is proud and a sensitive ma
tion. :"
This is truthful statement 1t is
to the credit Spain. A country that
is without its share of pride, in this age
Of presumption, swagger and rapacity,
must be in a state of decay. So also in
regard to sensitiveness. 1t is to be re-
spected, either in a man or in ooun-
try. So far as American pride and SEN
sitiveness are concerned we need not
say much. We are not destitute Of pa
triotic pride any more than Spain. We
are in a measure sensitive like Spain.
We should suppose that two countries
which are both proud and sensitive
would be able to indulge in mutual ad-
miration, and that each Of them would
be very careful in its dealings with the
other, It is true that Spanish pride has
fallen very often, but we know that
there is good deal Of it left yet and
that it may fall again without suffering
annihilation.
Here is very interesting statement
of Mr.. Chatfield-Taylor:
'"There is feeling in Spain that this
country, the United States, is migrate
full. The discovery Of America by Span
iards is the cause of a feeling that if
Spain is not the mother country to this,
she should at least be looked upon as a
sort of grandmother to the Americas.
All, indeed ''Base ingratitude bias
phemes his feeder" +" though fed by his
own grandmother It was Weyler, the
butcher of Cuba, who reminded us as
soon as he arrived at Havana that we
ought to be grateful TO Spain for discov-
ering America, so grateful that we
would justify him in butchering Spain s
last American child, the one known as
the Pearl of the Antilles" We tried
to argue the case with Weyler at the
time, but his only answer was roar for
carnage. We may as well say at once
that we are not grateful to Spain for
anything, and that we don't recognize
her either as our mother or as our grand
mother. She played the mischief with
Spanish America after the Italian whom
she abandoned had discovered it, and
all of her American children cut loose
from her as soon as they were able to
walk alone, expressing not gratitude,
but hatred and scorn. She was a cruel
old savage who maltreated her offspring
and regarded them only for what she
could get out of them. If we are to be
grateful to any country for discovering
our part of America, it is not to Spain.
Mr. Chatfeld- Taylor again:
''The Spaniards believe that Spain
has nothing to lose and much to gain by
war with the United States. "
We do not see how we can change this
Spanish belief Yet we must say that
we do not think it is well grounded.
Even if Spain were to conquer this
country, we doubt whether she would
find it a pleasant place to live in. New
} York, Cor example, is cold in winter
and hot in summer, while few Of Us un.
Z 4 10 told fhai