The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-08-25

bis fleets and armies were the mos,
powerful in the world, and his col
oniescirclcd the globe. Both Nortl
and South America practically be
longcd to Spain. Even centur,
later Samuel johnson asked: "Art
thee no regions yet unclaimed By
SPAIN"
By discovery, conquest and mar.
rage the Spanish rulers rapidly ac.
quired territory, but wherever their
generals pitched their tents dc,olation
followed. In less than forty years
after they discovered San Domingo
its population dwindled from 1000
600 to 100000. In Mexico and in
Peru, Cortez and Pizairo waged a
war of determination.
Before Philip died he had lost vast
trscts in north Africa. In the next
fifty years Spain lost Burgundy,
Naples, Cicily, Milan, the Neither
lands, Melacca, Ceylon, Java, Portu-
gal, Holland, Brabant. Flanders,
Ioussillon and Cardague, and in the
same period she surrendered her con-
troll of the seas to northern Europe.
After this Gibraltar, the Woa,ka
sound settlements and San Domingo
were given up. Louisiana went next,
followed BY Trinidad, Florida, Mexi-
co, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador,
Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina,
Banda Oriental, Paraguay, Patagonia,
Guatemala, Honduras. Nicaragua,
San Salvador, Hayti and numerous
smaller possessions.
And now Porto Rico will be coded
to the United States; Cuba will be
freed from the Spanish yoke, and if
we want few dozen or few humid
rcd fine islands in different quarters
Of the globe we have &nly to say the
word.
No statistician would be bold
enough to guess at the value Of The
bits of land, but it is estimated that
they are worth not far from 81 .000,-
100000. OF coulse. we should take
into consideration the cost Of the war
to the United States when we finally
decide upon the disposition of the
conquered territory.
At present we have no definite
figures. 1t is not enough to say that
the government has spent 500, 006,-
600 for the army and navy in the
past three months, and will have to
spend hundreds of millions more in
the next year or two in controlling
the new countries under our hLg.
Among our expenses are the interest
On government bonds, the loss in the
productive labor OF the vount, ers, .
and then there are olher incidentalS
saying nothing about
pensions, it is likely that few years
rom now it will be known that the
var cost us about 81, OO0,000,0 600.
We must be reimbursed in some
way, if possible. Spain has 70
money, and her people will be taxed
o death for generations to foot their -
'art of the war bill. Clearly, our =
My way to get even is to take our "
'ay in land. How much we shall =
emand, and where it shall be located :"
re important matters to be consider y
d at our leisure. 1t is a fact that =
he geographers have very hay ideas - -
boat some countries. They do not " "
now the number of islands in the "
Some say l,4OO, while 60
iherS say 1000. Many of the is 60
'nds, however, are very small, and -.
reat deal of their area is not arabic. 60
he interior of Cuba is sealed book III
the geographers. They say that pO
has never been thoroughly explored. 60
laps are not always reliable. Our "'
overnment maps show that the
c9ssion extended beyond W
lie Rocky mountains and included rel
e north Pacific states. 1t is only mU
Gently that an order has been issued be-
correct these maps. If we know ex'
lutte OF our own country, how can ING
be expect to know all about Cuba, ne;
)rto Eico and the Philippines? Ell
The American people will doubt we
IS manage in some way to solve reg
Lure problems in their regular ser
der. The same cannot be said of mu
9 Spaniards. When a nation once The
Irt3 on the downward road it gen reg
lily goes at the pace that kills, and mus
'9 to the very bottom Of the hill. maj
ain has been travelling this road The
more than three centuries, but she A
ms nothing as she goes along. the
e is as naughty and as boastful as Sec
was in the days of Philip. About char
years ago Buckle, the historian, to r.
tie of her. betv
here she lies at The further extremity Germ
he continent, huge and torpid mass. -
only representative now remaining of A
feelings and the knowledge of the a
die ages. And, what Is The worst 4
ptom OF all, she is satisfied with her
condition. Though she is the most n
ward country in Europe, she believes ~
ell TO be the foremost She is proud
'erything of which she ought TO lie 81
med. She is proud Of the antiou.,y III
Pr Onininns nrnnh Of H. -. ~ -. LJl