The record-union., 1898-05-15

to them they confined their activities
for most part They ruled the isles
with rod of iron and treated the poor
Caribs SO inhumanely that it was not
long before the last of them had been
blotted out of existence, mainly by hard
usage in enforced labor of the most
slavish character.
But it is to the direct application
of cruelty to the natives in the form OF
torture that we turn for best proof OF
the charge that the pioneering Span
lard is more noted for his mercilessness
than for any other quality, disposi-
tion most recently manifest in the
treatment of the Cuban reconcentrados
So awful We're the cruelties of the
sixteenth century as practiced in the
new world conquered by Spain, that
even Spaniards at home shuddered at
the recital and some of their greater
minds rose up in protest but in vain.
Children and little girls We're frequent
ly burned at the stake; men were
pinched to death with steel pincers, bit
by bit; human beings were torn apart,
limb by limb; it was common for the
owner of slave to thrust a spear
through him for trifing offense, and the
burning alive of entire families was not
infrequent
"Demoniac indecency and barbarity,"
says one writer. characterized the
Spanish policy in large part" Las
Casas, the famous priest, was so out
ragged by these cruelties that he and
protests, and even the Pope, Paul Ill,
felt called uDon to denounce the Span
ish treatment Of the Caribs and other
Indnans, which. he declared. has it's
origin in internal cupidity, and is
founded on the most diabolical pre-
text"
Yet nine years after that Papal de-
claration the Council of CASTLE de-
clared that Divine Providence had re-
served America for the Spaniard.
Clearly Divine Providence, even accord
of God, has modified that reservation
and changed the plan of 'inscrutable
wisdam." At that time, so conscious
were the Spanish that their atrocities
called for defense that in long pre-
ambles their official heads in Spain set
forth that "portents, signs, presages and
miracles" had indicated clearly "the
will of God" that Spain should take the
land and reduce it as it was doing. The
people We're told that saints and angels
had appeared and justified the conduct
of the conquerors, and with this the
Spanish were contented.
Yet, with characteristic treachery and
mendacity, Spanish rulers at the same
time set forth to the world how solicit
Gus they were for the education and
salvation Of the natives, and how their
hearts went out to them in loving kind
ness to bring them up to the level of
civilization and religion. Still the
frtghtful abuses went on, though many
Bishops and good men sounded protests
throughout Europe. In answer to these
Spain did forbid enslavement of the ma
tives. Yet, in the teeth of that law,
the records show that, with usual
treachery, the law was not enforced
All the Spanish officials still held
slaves, boldly confirmed the titles Of
slave-owners, and the cruelties to the
wretched Indians continued as of old.
In fact. Spanish officials clear down
to petty magistrates went on slave
hunts, capturing Indians and convert
ing them to their own uses or selling
them to misery indescribable. In 1909
the Bahama Islands had 100000 native
population, but in 1890 there were not
20 Caribs left. All the others had been
slain by soldiers and slave-hunters or
carried away to slave markets. The
plying Las Casas tells us that in that
century thirty islands were thus depop-
ulated. Friar Xalicia, franciscan
monk at the head of his order in Peru,
tells us that the Spaniards were "accus-
toned to feed native babes to their
hounds Periodically the Crown would
issue DEGREES against these abuses and
command that offenders be brought to
punishment. But such edicts when re-
ceived were simply inscribed received,
not respected" and then pigeonholed.
For this assertion we have the Span
ish historian Ferrer, in his History Of
the Reign of Charles III" It Is con-
ceded that the people of Spain at home
knew little of the cruelties of their
masses, being ignorant, had no means
of gaining knowledge of what was 60
ing on in their name in the New World.
But the politicians, the Crown, the
classes were fully advised, and were
aiders in these awful crimes, and reap
ed large profits from them. Positions
were sold to the highest bidders, and
there was no concealment made of the
purpose of a Spaniard in seeking an Of
fetal appointment in the islands. II
the office holder made too much money,
or yielded too little tribute to his fell
lows at home, he was overthrown, and
sometimes severely punished; but
though such was the pretext, the pen
atty was not for his crimes.
For a long sweep of time there was
no change for the better. Don Jorge
Juan and Don Ulloa, writing as late as
174S, detailed cruelties and abuses that