The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-29
SPAIN AS SEEN IN WAR TIMES.
THE PEOPLE KNEW LITTLE OF
THE STIRRING EVENTS.

Press - Chief Desire Everywhere
seemed to BE for SIeep-It Has Not
Taught the spaniards Much-Dirt,
s0uaIor. Rudeness and Incidence
Abound.
From the Baltimore American.
Gibraltar, Aug. Glow do the Span
ards themselves Il do not refer to the
press, which by no means represents the
people), take their defeat? We hear
deal about the proud hidalgos who are
determined to die in the last ditch and so
on ad libitum; but such talk is only to be
found in the yellow press and in the
highfown general orders of the Spanish
commandments. Every single soul with
whom l have conversed here, from Gen.
Weyler down to my donkey boy, is of the
opinion that peace should be made at any
price and Immediately. The key to the
whole situation is the lack in this country
Of that quality which we call patriotism.
That which Spaniards call by that name
is a much weaker brew. The fact is The
entire nation is sick of the whole business.
Al the beginning of the war it believed
its ignorant press and its ignorant and
criminal government, and expected that
Spain would give the United States a
sound drubbing. Since then the intoxica-
ton has been gradually giving place to a
fearful "Katzenjammer," the chief char
acteristc of which is almost complete in
difference. The people avoid talking
about the war, and dread to take up a
paper for fear of reading of new disast-
ers
The time for internal risings has nearly
gone by. The government has for some
time past played the best possible game
under the circumstances. 1t has simply
made no announcements at all of the re-
verses Of the Spanish arms, allowing the
truth to leak out gradually through the
foreign papers, until its force was spent
and the tardy announcement failed to
have an incendiary effect, being an old
story.
l was in Madrid when Santiago fell. At.
first there was some excitement, but the
government kept repeating that it had re-
eelVed no news. so that when, nearly
week later, the official organ announced
the capitulation, it worked only as a con-
trmation. During the whole time there
was not single street gathering no ex-
cited groups in the cafes, not single out
ward sign of displeasure. The very even
ing of the surrender l went to a comic
opera with two Spanish officers. one OF
them being the son of Gen. Weyler, and
the war was only mentioned when l
hd uD TO the subject. On the contrary
everybody seemed to be in the best of
spirits, laughing and chatting and drink
ing The next day went to my first bull
hght, also in the company of officers and
the prevailing tone was still more uproari-
GUS. The building was crowded. and the
audience, including my companions, went
wild with enthusiasm over the YOUNG
espada, Bombita Chico, and talked about
the different bulls all the way home.
dined with Weyler that night, and the
champagne was quaffed in the same care
iree manner. When the war was talked
Oh 1t was only to execrate the navy and
the government.
NOW, is such a spirit as I have described
conceivable in our country? And does
this sort of thing seem consistent with
what we have been taught to believe of
ule proud and brave Spanish nation? A
hg for their pride and their pseudo-patri-
otisml The lauded Spanish pride is a
mixture OF Incidence, insolence and obstin-
acy. 1t exists in the history of the past,
Inc characters of the vast majority of
modern Spaniards is not worthy of the
respect of Anglo-Saxons. The officers
Whom met were, with few exceptions no
NNN NfCA yDOQS else L nave met N
SPAIN has been ill-bred in the extreme,
ana dirty into the bargain. Cheating is
'ne rule, squalor. shameless customs and
exaggerated lazlness prevail generally.
for any one who knows the Spain of to-
gay the idea of her going to war with a
mst-ciass power is a colossal joke and
me government that allowed this to ia Ike
pace deserves death for high treason
The lack of manners by the Spaniards
surprised me. 1t is everybody for him
sen, a huge scramble. No one has ever
pegged my pardon for pushing me off the
SIDEWALK or knocking my hat off. On
podfd a coasting steamer a young mans
Ial DEW off into my face, and / just sue
(geeued IN grasping it as it was flying over
BOARD. He rushed at me and took the hat
odt OF my hands without even looking at
me Ihls is but single case, but char
ecleFlstlc of dozen day since l had the
awful luck to be sent here.
ana the beggars! The war has made
lAem particularly importunate, and the
summer season being duh. they simply
mooped me. If l refused one of them, he
spat at me in his proud chivalric Spanish
manner!
Inc only place to enjoy the Spanish gam
~ Is the Pinakothek, at Munich. There
heated by Murillo, he is too cute for any
ing, In the streets of the peninsula he
is filthy little beast
me government has been afraid to make
pee Tor fear of the Carists; but the
.uieat OF Watson has been efficacious. The
"lAtiles OF the seaports nave been moving
oe' vi town, and one reads advertisements
" Eiias out of reach of Yankee bonn
I goIuhlents We are always called Yam
~ ny the press AND people alike, even
~ serious editorials, and we are pictorial
invariably represented as pigs. This
Nh MN nation born and bred in moral and
physical filth is decidedly rich.
II IS my conviction that to leave the gov
ttlnfnent of any colony in the world in the
i Ia1Gs OF this miserable, bankrupt, econom-
vary noribund people would be a crime. To
ene the philippines back to a nation not
oapaple OF even governing itself would be
siSHs the lie to our own avowed prncl-
FD9 at the beginning of the war. If we do
nv keep them-and l hope we shall not
e'en they should receive international pro-
ION ike Samoa, until they deserve in
sePe9dence-say under America, England
and Japan
~ IS great pity that the war has not
ss zen brought home TO the great majority