The times., 1898-10-16
spuuish Rule in America.


America" is a small book written by
Bernard Moses, Phi. D., professor in the
University of California, and author of
Democracy and Social Growth in
America" 1t deals not only with the es-
tablishment of Spanish-American states,
implied by the title, but with their
history under Spanish rule up to the time
of their final emancipation, and covers
period of nearly thirteen hundred years
in all, beginning with the early history
of Spain and ending in 1924. In the in
PRODUCTION the Spanish-Gothic monarchy.
the invasion of the Moors, and the dis
covery of America are briefly reviewed.
Then follows the history of Columbus in
the new world. the careers of cortez. Pi-
zarro. Velasquez. and other discoverers;
the history of the South American states
and of the West Indies during the fif-
teenth and sixteenth centuries: the ad-
ventures of Drake; the opening of Span
ish ports to American trade, and finally
the wars for Independence.
passage which discloses some of the
reasons for the decline of civilization in
Spain is found in the introduction, and is
as follows:
The absolutism of the Spanish kings differed
from that developed in other European sta.es, by
reason of the peculiar circumstances of Spain. In
England, France, Denmark, Sweden, and the
German kingdoms, the positive movement toward
absolutiSm came after the Protestant revolution
had Weekend the authority Of the church in re-
lation TO the affairs OF the state. But in Spain
the movement fell within the years marked by
the crusade against the Jews and the Moors,
when the king and priests were directed by
common o7erpowering motive. when the royal
THrfHar mas Lotto md
political consdeTa tiOns but by the desire to real
ize in Spain the designs OF the church, involving
the consolidation of ecclesiastical power and the
unity Of faith. The Spanish kings became. there
fore rather the champions Of ecclesiastic eccl s.
iasticism than the defenders of the temporal in
terests Of the naticn. To this change OF atti-
tude may be traced the general character of later
Spanish civilization. and also many Of the ills
which overlook Spain in the sIbsequ mt of
her decline. The Jews were expelled. ard thereby
the nation suffered an irreparable loss of com
mercial and financial ability, that peculiar ability
which. since the expulsion. has been wanting
The Spanish people, whether in Spain or Ameri-
In obedience TO the demands Of awakened
fanaticisIn, the dominion Of the MOors de-
stroyed, and the beautiful cultivation of Anda-
lusia wasted by the conquere-s. What might
have been the later condition Of Southern Spain
had il been allowed to under the dominion OF
the Mcors, II is impossible now TO dete-min II
IL easy to say that the civilization which de
stroyed had already eliminated, and that it had
no future hut miserable decline into the semi
would have been the outcome. but the evidence
presented by the history cf the Moors in Spain
does not fOrte upon this conclusion. Even
while tho northern bO der of their IN MONS was
being pushed toward the south by tha Chri tans,
they cont nued 10 advance in cultivation and the
arts Of peace. and IN many departments of civil
izrd life they had never reached higher posi-
tion than that which they occupied al the time
Of their final defeat.
The later expulsion of the Mor'scoes, in 1910,
by which about million of the most indus
tious inhabitants Of Spain hunted out like
Wild beasts had fsr-rsaching effect on the ma.
terial interests OF the Peninsula.
Another passage of considerable inter-
est at the present juncture occurs in the
last chapter. in which Spanish and Eng
Hsh colonies are contrasted. The author
says:
Tie United States were s-ttled by people who,
throughout a most remarkable carer of conquest
and colonization. have never truCkiei 10 the saw
age nor ior the sake Of influence over inferior
races. been willing to give up tie purity Of their
blood. Since the DAYS OF migration from the low
lands Of Siesygick the English people, in England
In irterica. md in Australia. have moved steadily
and irres;stihiy forward and their advance had
been ma kod by the disappearance of the unculti.
waited ahoriEines The English in cslonizing
ng rIlder peoples have he, uncomprl missing
7" the harbarians whose Territory they have over
run, they have held out simple alternatives:
either TO accept the English standard of civiliza-
tion, or 10 fold their tents and depart The Span
fsrds, on the other hand, wherever thCy have met
the native tribes Of America. lave been willing
10 descend from their European standard of
civilization and affiliate with them on a lower
plane. In Spanish America the Spaniards have
mingled rhcir blood with the blood OF the natives.
and have compromised with them in the formation
Of political and religious Institutions The Eng
lish policy hss tended TO extermHlte tie b9rbar-
tarS; under Spanish dominion the Indians have,
indeed, persisted IN great numbers, but those who
have survived have entered to form constituent
part Of the new nation.
the differing fstes of the Indians under Spanish
ana English colonization is in part due TO the
rapidity Of encroachment upon their ter-ito-y in
the case and slowness of encroaciment in
the other The English have demln1ed that
the Indian should rise almost Immediately to
their standard, and under this demand he is
doomed 10 perish. The Spaniards, on the con-
trary, have made possible for him gradual rise
to civilization.
Prom the standpoint OF the individuals or the
tribes Of the native population, the English policy
appears merciless and unwarrantably cruel; but
from the standpoint Of the method Of social pro-
ETes, $50 careless OF the single life II only the
great end is reached, It may, perhaps, find abun-
dsnt justification.
Although the English hsve been more exacting
than the Spanish in the demands which they
have made the aborignes of their dependent
territc'ies although they have insisted rigdly
the maintenance of the English standard of
civilization, they have at the same time held
their dependencies, particularly since the fatal
mistake with the thirteen American colonies, in
a much more lenent bondage than the other Eu-
ropesn nations. In the case of the Spanish de-
pendency the bonds binding it TO the mother
country have been rigid and unelastic, 50 that
they parted at the first considerable strain, ard
the colony has been irretrievably separated from
its superior. The English dependencies, the
contrary. have found themselves at the end of an
e!astic tie. When they have tugged to be free,
the cord has yielded, but has gradually drawn
them back when their discontent was past.
Australia and Canada may adopt commercial
policy directly at variance with the views of
England and still the bond of union remains un-
broken. But Spain the Spanish king, insist
ed on an essential uniformity throughout the
snanis dorninions. and, in other words, obedience
to that policy which would contribute most to
The selfish interests of the mother country The
c--rls Of rigid adherence to Spanish policy has
Bon --.. '-r- by Spain of her vast colonial pos
sr a. dant sources of wealth.
sro ..ga will give a fairly
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