The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-01-15

ruled, better prOspered, and stronger
dependencies than they would be as
separate and independent govern.
ments. The policy OF England and oi
other nations who try TO rival her in
c0lOnizing activity, is to look only for
indirect results from good govern
mcnt. Internal development is aimed
at with the confident hope that the
resulting prosperity will react fayOra-
bly, to the home country by reason OF
increasing trade, etc. But Spain 5
policy has remained unchanged while
other nations have marched onward.
AS | said in last weeks letter. her
colonies have always been regarded as
a fair prey to be stripped Of every
thing valuable that was compact and
portable. The fierce greed Of
COrtez and Pizarro is apparently un.
changed. Whatever positions Of pow
cr were open for filling, have seemed
to be regarded as the rightful herit-
age Of the Spanish nobility without
any regards as to fitness, or the bcnc-
tit OF the country they ruled over.
Indirect gain from the development
OF a colony has never been regarded
with much favor as the direct results
by squeezing out taxes and farming
out protective positions. This is
simply another evidence Of the mad
spirit OF self-dcStruCtIOn that has pos
Scsscd Spain. The inevitable result
has been the loss one by one since the
end Of last century Of the very jewels
OF her diadem Uf empire.
AGRICULTURAL UNpROGREsSIvE-
MSS: About the beginning OF the
10th century Spain, possessed OF a re-
ligiOus fury very adroitly mingled
with greed. expelled the Jews and the
Moors and cOntisCatcd their property.
By 81 doing it inflicted as severe a ma
tiOnal injury to itself as France did
when it drove out the llugcnots, strip
ping itself Of its best farmers and me
chanicS, tradcsmcn and merchants.
In 1903, if my memory serves me right,
Spain gave IA further fatal blow to it,
self by cXpclIng all the ChriStianlzed
MoorS As IA result up to the present
agriculture, the necessary basis Of ma
tlonal prosperity, is very undcveloped.
The most primitive instruments arc
still in use and great regions that the
Moors had made productive have fullen
back to wilderness. Similar short
sightedncSS characterized her abroad.
When Pizarro landed in Peru, the
strip OF land fifty and more miles
wide stretching from the ocean front
to the foothills OF the Andes, sup.
ported prosperous population OF
abont 100000. The patient Peruvans
had made this sandy desert blossom
like the rose 10y vast irrigation works.
In some cases they had constructed
aqucducts hundreds Of miles long and
even pierced mountains in order that
this particular region might be wa
tered. Now the desert is again tri-
umphant. The conquerors seeking
those things alone that could be gain
ed by the sword, neglected the real
essentials OF prosperity. until now on
Is a few thous md exist where hun
dreds ot thousands were once prosper
Gus. The same lamentable neglect
was shown in Mexico. The strange
creatures whom Monteluma ruled
were exceedingly progressive in their
way But their works and plans and
agricultural gains were scattered to
the winds by their blOod-thrsty con-
querorS. Now the spirilless Pron
seems sunkcn beyond all hope Of re.
vival.