The leader., 1897-09-29

to the crime. At the cry of fire in
town everyone is supposed to assist the
police in eXtinguishing the flames, put
as rule the alarm drives every moth
er's son TO hiding place. 1t is not
to be supposed that the Spaniard is
naturally coward, but rather that
centuries of misrule and oppression
(the fruit of feudal despotism of church
and state) have imbucd in him dread
of being mixed up" in the tolls of the
law. History tells of Spanish courage
manifested in many campaign, and
the old hidalgo spirit which pioneered
the new world had for centuries been a
dominant force in Europe and the far
east.
Times are very hard just now in
Spain and taxation is sapping the vitals
of commercial and industrial life. For
tunately the climate is mild so that the
struggling masses are not liable to the
suffering from excessive cold which
presses SO hard on the poor and needy
in other northern climes. Then, again,
the average Spaniard will fatten on a
diet upon which an American would
stdrve. A couple of pancakes fried in
olive OIL a few olives, and a glass of
wine constitute "a square meal" Meat
OF all kinds, especially kids flesh, is
used, generally boiled or stewed TO
rags, with garlic as an all-ptrmeating
influence. Large chestnuts boiled are
used as a vegetable and are said to be
very nutritious. We often use the term
Spanish onions" as indicative of the
largest size of that useful and odorous
vegetable and, of course, it plays most
important part in the cuisine of the
hidalgos and the dons. In the coast
cities the people are more progressive
and fare better than they do in inland
places, no doubt because they are
brought more in contact with the
progressive people of other nations. At
TIE present day Spain is the least
progressive nation in Europe, has the
lowest educational status and in al
that makes for civilization and progress
is only superior to Turkey.
What effect the costly wars in Cuba
and the Philippine islands will have
on this already heavily taxed nation
may be imagined, but 1t is not m
likely that the result will be revolu-
ton which will mean the abolition of
the monarchy and the establishment of
republic. AS it is, members of the
nobility are willing to accept any en-
ployment. AS an illustration of this
note the following: Some time ago the
office of public eXecutioner became va
cant by death and thereupon the min
istry of justice at Madrid received an
avalanche of applications from all sorts
and conditions of men, including three
marquises, one field marshal, an ex.
attorney general and eight other no.
bles! Think of the proud Spanish
aristocrat devoting himself to CARROT
ing condemned criminals as means OF
earning his livelihood!
There is. of course, brighter future
for Spain, and it will come when mod.
ern methods, modern education and a
progressive government prevail and
when the national church loses the
tyrannical hold it now has on all classes
of society. Naturally Spain has many
advantages and the soil is capable OF
the highest cultivation. AS ii is at pres
ent however, the cultivation of the
grape, olive, orange and lemon is be-
ing neglected and many farms are desc
late because the young peasants have
been forced into the army to die OF
yellow fever in Cuba. or be shot to
death, to preserve to the Spanish crown
the rGem of the Antilles"
JAMES IRVING cRABBE