Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-03-02
Spain Has Troubles al Home.

lions in this hemisphere which promise
to cause her the loss of her last Ameri-
can colony and which may bring on a
war with a nation powerful enough -
crush and humble her beyond the fat
of any modern nation, she is also as
sailed by alarming dangers and dis
asters al home. Spanish politics are in
most chaotic condition and the COM
ing election, now not far distant, may
result in the complete overthrow of the
present ministry. The radical Weylel
again, and the campaign for the cleo
ton of delegates to the Cortez is wagel
with distracting bitterness. The debt
burdened government is in despair, the
people are taxed to death and are ready
to resist with violence, and over all is
the threatening spcctcr of a Carlst
uprising
Eut added to the eXhausting burden
of the bloody rehelIions in Cuba and the
Philippines and the crisis of the home
government. are internal troubles, not
political. but so serious as to bring
despair to he leaders at Madrid First
came devastating Hoods that Over
Whelmcd several of the richest prov
turned them into one vast picture of
widespread ruin. Terrible floods hay"
cursed the agrculturists of many parts
of Spain since the wasteful destruction
of the splendid forests that once
crowned the hills and forests of the
peninsula; but this last great freshct
visited the garden provinces of the
kingdom and was the most Widespread
and disastrous ever known there. Five
eastern provinces Alicante. Murcia.
Valencia. TarraGona. and barcelona
were visited by from three to eleven
days continuous rains, accompanied by
a hurricane and a devastating storm of
hail. thunder and lightning which cen
these provinces. Before this visitation
of the elements upon Valencia and its
sister provinces. Gerlon. Toledo, Con
segura La Mancha and Almeria had
been stricken by floods.
The injury that this last great fooG
has wrought to Spain may be inferred
from tina fact that the ruined districts
We're he regions where We're produced
the wines. fruits and vegetables which
We're the chief source of Spanish wealth
in the agricultural markets Of Europe
Millions of dollars have heretofore an
and have resulted in the great material
happiness and prosperity of its in
habitant.. who. unlike the peasantry Of
the rest OF Spain hold their land in fee
simple. The ravages of the storm Wer"
SO general and so extensive that no de
scription and no illustration can give
an adequate idea of them. The soil
has either been converted into one vast
landscape of mud or has been washed
into the sea by the impetuous torrents
All of this has occurred. it should be
remembered, in the richest part Of
Spain. the region that has borne the
heaviest burdens of taxation the most
cheerfully, that has sent the best part
of its young manhood to die uselesslv
in the sWamps of Cuba and the Philip
pines without a murmur, while the
cities all but mutinied against the
conscription
II addition to floods there is grim
famine bringing its curse to the land of
the Spaniard. The price of wheat was
never so high before, and starvation
faces the lower classes in many cities.
The second bread riot, reported within
Saturday. when 5000 men and women
paraded the streets shouting for work
and bread, and af(erWard sturmed the
railroad station and helped themselves
to food. 1t is thought martial law will
have to he proclaimed in the riotinS
cities TO suppress the people. This con-
dition of things shows that industries
cannot be very active in Spain, since
no work can be provided for those who
have not been conScripted into the
army.
Poor old Spain. once a great and
powerful nation, but now possessing
nothing but her pride to he proud Of.
Eiopel"ssly bankrupt. without a friend
among nations, on the brink Of losing
her last colonial possessions. torn ami
rent by internal political disscntions,
cursed by flood and famine-this is the
nation that would venture into a war
With the United States.
| Bass tishermenat WinncGance complain
| about the poor fishing. Very few bass