The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-04-07
NATIONAL DOOM.
OTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT SPAIN
What Weights Are Sinking Her.
BY .'tNEMo."

BY .sNEMo."
Copyrighted by DAVE 4 Tabor.)
The demon that has been steadily
and relentlessly forcing Spain toward
its final national plunge, is preparing to
close the compact, wherein Spain as
nation four centuries ago chose wealth
rather than wisdom. and pride rather
progress. Even leaving out OF consid-
Grafton tor moment the present con-
flict In Cuba, the evidences OF certain
national doom can easily be read.
COLONIAL GREED If we look back
at the conquests of few centuries ago,
when frequent tidings Of new continents
and boundless wealth fired the souls OF
adventurous men, the skirts OF no nation
will be found entirly free from innocent
blood. But gentler times have brought
pentler methods, and the value OF hay
ing populous colonies instead OF raw
aged miles to rule over 10 found to DO
ultimately of the greatest advantage to
the home country. This is only an
other evidence that the world progresses.
But while tho scales of inhumanlty
have fallen from the eyes of England,
and other nations that attempt to vie
with her in colonizing policies, Spain 10
as blind and cruel as in the days OF Pi-
zarro in Peru, and Cortez In Mexico.
With an absolute lust for wealth the
new territories were then regarded as
fair prey to be mercilessly stripped OF
everything valuable and portable. The
spirit of the men who carved her vast
empire out of a new world has remain
ed unchanged through the centuries.
Whatever colonial positions we're open
have been filled by Spanish nobility
in many eases without regard to fitness
of the person or the advantage OF the
colony. Indirect gain from the devel-
opment of colony has never been re-
earded with such favor as the direct
, results to be attained by squeezing out
taxes and farming out lucrative Offices
In progressive age this is simply a
mad spirit of self-destruction. The In
evitable has been the loss one by one
1 : aHa -1sl.1sr diadem OF en-
pire. until now out OF a territory once
, unequaled either in natural wealth OF
in extent, there remain the very mlno
possessions of Porto Rico, Cuba, ane
the Philippine Islands.
AGRICULTURAL UNPRoGREss1vENEss
e-About the beginning OF the l6ti
century Spain, possessed OF religion
r fury adroitly mingled with greed, ex
r PEELED the Jews and the Moors and con
fscated their property. It thus inf1ict
ed as severe national injury to itsel
u as France did later when it drove tn
9 Huguenots for 1t stripped itself OF 1t
Q best farmers and mechanics. In l6Os
I believe, it gave agriculture turthe
fatal blow by expelling the Christian
lied Moors. As consequence tn
very basis OF national prosperity is re
Is markably undeveloped IN Spain. Th
g crudest implements are still in use, an
n great regions that the Moors ha
rendered productive, fell back to wild
erness. Similar short-sightedness cha
" acterized her abroad. When Pizarr
u landed in Peru, the strip OF land hit
and more miles wide, stretching trol
ID the ocean front to the foothills OF tt
,e Andes, supported prosperous popui
!. ton of many hundreds OF thousand
>; The patient Peruvians had, by vast
Irrigation work, made this sandy desc
" blossom like the rose. In some cas-
ct tboy had constructed aqueducts hu
dreds of miles long, and even pierc'
mountains In order that this reglt
might be watered. The desert is on
more triumphant. The conquerc
ne seeking and esteeming those thin
VS. only that could be gained by the swo'
nd neglected the real essentials OF pr
in perity, and to this day the evil resu
are felt. Mexico was similar vlctl
The strange creatures whom Montezur
ow ruled were exceedingly progressi'
he But their works and plans and ae
Ill !; cultural gains were scattered to
The winds by their blood thirsty conquere
- and to this day the splrltless Pt
seems sunken beyond all hope OF
Oh viyal. Thus everywhere, at ho1
nee abroad, Spain has prepared the way
ing her own undoing.
nch
-. THE EGRANDEE SPIRIT For centu
after the destruction OF the Roman
- pire by the Goths and Vandals, the
'ooo man intellect was practically benun
A pall of darkness was over all !;
mobiles were almost as un'earne'
rug their serfs and the serfs were utt