The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-12
THE TRAGEDY or SPAIN.
Her Rise to Power Only Exceeded by
Her Fall.
From the Century.

From the Century.
Few histories are at one and the same
time more tragic and more instructive
than that of the Spanish people. No rule
has been wider and more brilliant. Having
prevented Islamism from overlooking Eu
rope, the Spaniards themselves spread
through the countries which they had pre-
served from the Mohammedan invasion.
Before long they were everywhere-in Italy
and the low countries by right of conquest,
in Germany through election. The domina
ton of their arms, customs and literature
was widely extended. They were on the
point of giving king to France and they
were represented in the government of
Louis XIV. People dressed they did,
thought and felt as they did, and 1t was
quite as much from Spain as from Rome
that our great Cornelius drew the inspira-
ton of his sublime works. Everything
came to his aid. An Italian turned Span
lard discovered a new world for them. The
virgin soil received first the print of their
feet, and they gave their name to the re-
gion. The sun never set on their empire.
There is nothing comparable to this mag
nIficent development of power unless it be
the magnitude and rapidity of the decay
which followed. Little by little the Span
rope. They lost Italy, the Empire, the low
countries. But for all these successive
losses and European checks they found
compensation in the New World, with its
treasures, its fertile soil, its fruitful riv-
ers. and its two oceans which commanded
the commerce of the globe. But here, too,
though more slowly, a decline set in
The history of Spanish colonization in
America presents three phases. The first
is wholly Warlil1e in its nature. We see in
il Adventures and conQuerors who land
on the unexplored shores, seize them, and
exterminate the native population The
second phase is the sacerdotal. The priest
comes along with the captain, to convert
and also mitigate the cruelties of the sol
der And then-the third phase-after the
missionaries arrive the court favorites,
sent out from the mother country to en-
rich themselves, well typitied by the Mar
ouis of Branciforte, who sold decorations
sometimes at even so high price as $lO,-
900. and by Iturrgarai, who tratficked in
DEGREES and offices. The colonies, first
tortured and then converted become pre-
bends for all the dissolute and begging
good-for- nothings whom Spain wishes to
get rid of.
So it was not long before America be-
gan to slip away from Spain, as Europe
had done. In 1920 the colonies rebelled,
one after the other and at the end of
heroic struggle repealed the Spanish
troops and proclaimed independence. First
the United States and then England, re-
cognlzed the new nations. The importance
of the event was seen by all the clear
sighted public men of the Old World.
Vergennes. the French minister, who
helped to free North America, said on the
proclamation of the independence of the
English colonies: THE Spanish colonies
will some day become the prey of the
Anelo-Saxons and as sure as they have
pushed back the Indians, they will soon
er or later drive the Latin peoples from
every part Of America
To save what remained to her of her
American colonies to keep Cuba and the
Philippines. Spain would have studied the
best interests of the inhabitants with re-
doubled zeal. She should have ruled with
a velvet hand, whereas she was harder
than ever. More than ever she turned
those wonderful lands into battening-
fields for her ruined mobiles, for her for
tune-seeking favOrites. 1t was notorious
that they went to Cuba to get rich. Con-
seouently the cutlery against Spanish dom
nation has not ceased for an instant since
the emancipation of South America. The
attentive air has always heard ii more
or less distinctly. In 1870, when I was
minister. I received a deputation of Gu
hans. who came to beg me to remedy their
ills and to intervene in their behalf And
now. the discomfort having reached the
highest degree of intensity, Cuba revolts
and calls for help, and the emancipa,ive
movement begun in 1920 approaches frui-
ton. What Spain still holds is on the
point of being torn from her. All Amer
lea. with the exception Of a few little
islands of no consequence. is to belong
to Americans. The republican continent,
freed frome one end to the other, viii be-
come more and more hostile or at least
stand in opposition, to the old continent,
where still prevail dynasties and monarch
Ical systems.
Should any complaint be made at the
final expulsion OF Spain? Should there be
an objection to the emancipa iOu of Cuba,
and should it be looked Upon as a mis-
fortune? Certainly not. We should see in
Il only the just decree Of heaven.