Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-09-26
M to the GLORIOUS pastD oi Spain.

-
An English journal speaks Of the
defeat of Spain by the limited States
as the humiliation Of proud people
with q glorious past Similar express
Sons in regard to Spanish history alave
frequently appeared recently. not only
in European. but i'm Americam period
seals. Suca, utterances in regard t.
Spaln's recGsd are mot to be found ir
the works OF impartial historians. The
assertion that Spain's past is glorious
should not pass without contradiction
The history of Spain is not glorious
but infamous.
The Kingdoms of Aragon and Cas-
tile originated in desperate strife
aunong four brothers. Two fell I'M bat.
tie and the fratricidal conHuerors be-
came the founders of Spanish mon
archy. Since that time, for Thousand
years, the history OF Spain has been q
record of venaldty, rapacity, cruelty
bloodshed and tyranny. Black is the
record of Spanish persecution OF the
Moors and Hebrews. Those not driven
into exile were ruthlessly rObbed and
murdered. The beautiful cities and
rich farms OF Andnlusia were ravaged
by fire and sword. The Turkish atroci-
ties in Armenia do not rival the reign
Of carnage in southern Spain for many
years. The victims were numbered not
by thousands, but by millions.
Spain's golden age, during the 10Th
and 17th centuries, lis the most in
famous period OF European history.
Her great power during that age was
not the result of Spanish courage and
enterprise, but was attained by in
trigue and matrimonial alliances. Con-
sequently it could not be enduring
Philip and his successors overcrowded
their treasury with the golden plllnder
of the New World, while the Spanish
people decreased i'm number and sank
lower into the depths of poverty.
WHAT shall be said of the horrors OF
The Inquisit.on? Nothing. 1t has all
been said. Read the record Of the
Duke Of Aqva's "Court of Blood in the
Netherlands and let that answer for
Spain's glorious past" 1t is but an
incident in the long career of national
crime.
Under the Arab reign the population
of Spain was estimated at 10000, 900.
At the beginning of the 10Th century,
when Ferdinand was King. Ut had been
reduced to 100000. Two hundred
years later. at the close of the so-called
Golden Age, it had fallen to 5000, 900.
This is a part Of the glorious record. -
Infamous above aM is the story of
Spanish conquest in America. There
are na darker pages I'M the ANNALS VI
mankind than Those that tell how
iginal populations of Puerto Rico. san
Domingo and Cuba. 1t lis a story OF
unrelieved treachery, rapacity, cruelty
and wholesale murder Weyaer's policy
OF determination i'm Cuba was but a
feeble -fmfta tdoarcIt is hard to uaIlsfs
stand show vengeance was so hong sd8s
layed. The bloody conluests of Mexico
and Peru, generally so wef1sknown, are
not exceptional episodes in Spanish
history. They are characteristic OF the
nation. He who speaks of Spain's
record as glorious speaks without
knowledge.
Yet it is admitted that the SpanGards
are proud. The pride is based on
ignorance. 1t is not national but an
individual sentiment Amid their rags
their Incidence, their bligUtry, they re-
main proud, without Justification. The
eyeless fish, that moves amid dark
ness in the waters of the Mammoth
cave, has the same reason for pride.