The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-12
THURSDAY. MAY y, 1895.
SPANISH CHARACTER.


Times while he was on Captain SIMPSONS
flagship. the New York in front Of Iia-
vana. Richard Harding Davis says:
-Four DAYS since I talked with man
who a year ago. when Spanish prisoner,
was racked 10 make him tell secrets, and
three days ago a Spanish officer who was
a prisoner on this ship sat next 10 me nj
the wardroOm mess and was given Nler-
steiner wine 20 drink and large. fat, eX-
pensive cigars 10 smoke while his orderly
was feasted by the tackles forward. II
was war and it was magnificent
The difference between Spain and
America is entirely illustrated here. We
caught this Spanish officer while making
"A trip to Matanzas to see his wife and
infant that was just born, and though
he and his orderly expected TO have their
eyes put out, their finger nails pulled
out. and then TO be executed by the most
torturing processes. the officers Of our
ships treated the Spanish officer as "a re-
spocted enemy in distress. and Captain
Sampson parolod him ana let him 20 on
10 see his wife and child. What this Off
Ger expected for himself Is very possibly
what would have happened TO one of our
officers If he had had the misfortune to
fan into Spanish hands. Mr.. Davis makes
no oXaggeration when he says he had
talked within four days with a man who,
less than year ago. had been tortured
on the rack by the Spaniards They have
made l,ue if any advances i'm civilization
since the fortunes OF the inqusition were
the ordinary methods of government in
Spain, and a Spaniard IS as ready 10 seek
his ends though those diaboiical measures
now as a Spanard was five hundred
years ago.
This trait in Spanish character Is the
result Of the institutions OF Spain and
tho opposite trait I'm our character is the
result Of the free institutions OF the An
glo Saxons' Spain represents the natural
outgrowth OF Roman institutions. which,
being founded upon the idea Of a free and
a slave caste. have resulted in two es-
sontally marked conditions Of society in
Spain, an aristrocrauc superior one and
one unlettered bieoted ignorant, and, for
all practical purposes, slavish one. IL
seems strange that the upper class. pos
sessing so many admirable qualities can
be as cruel and remorseless as ii IS when
its interests or supposed interests are in
terfered with. A recent writer speaking
OF them says "the Spaniard5 are still
among the most noble minded sympathe-
tic and intelligent peoples of the civilized
world. They are natures gentlemen
and possess am aesthetic taste capable or
a high degree Of development and a NUM-
Der OF noble traits and rare qualities,
which under the guidance of ordinarily
competent rulers should and would en-
title them 20 occupy place higher than
that Of Italy in the hierarchy OF nations"
The Spaniards have much Of the very fin
est literature that the world possesses.
But their abominable institutions. grow
Ing out OF Romes theories Of slavery,
have turned everything pertaining to gov
eminent topsy-turvy In Spain, and they
have there little more than semi-ordered
anarchy tempered by all the corruption
of socialism. The Madrid correspondent
OF the London Telegraph writing his pa
per a week or so back gives the follow
Ing account OF the difficulty Of sending of
"a telegram the telegraph being under
government control
1.-THE Spanish ceremonies which accom-
pany the handing in Of "a telegram would
be amusing were they not so irksome ana
tme-kihng. You approach a little WIN
GOV in tho one Office IN the city. and,
when your turn comes. hand i'm your mes
sage. The clerk counts the words cou-
pie OF times over, ADDS up the result OF
each page refers 10 the written tarin and
finds out what the cost is in francs Then
he takes another slip OF paper. finds out
what the rate Of exchange Is at the mo-
ment. and reduces the francs TO Spanish
peseias. Finally he reads out the result
say. so pesetas g confines. You en-
grave these figures In your memory, and
leaving the hall, 80 out 10 another win
dow In a passage outside. and there await
your turn. repeating always the number,
1918. TN the clerk asks you what YOU
want. Then you explain that you are come
20 purchase Spanish stamps for the sum
or 5s7 pcsCias % centimes. and you take
out a note for 900 pese,as. The passage
is dark on tho brightest day. and you ac-
cept the stamps and your change I'm
spirit OF true religious faith for you see
not even darkly In glass. when you
return 20 the inner 81 nctuary and help 20
make queue, awaiting your turn again.
The ehances are that you ind yourself