The record-union., 1898-07-25

of better days remain; the reality is
largely lost. The old country life, the
old guardianship of the chieftain for
his retainers, the generous sympathy
between land owner and tenant, the
grave, but sincere acknowledgment of
the obligations OF rank and property,
with the related and produced loyalty
and trust and affection of the tenant
and the dependent for his chief, are
now not the rule, but the very rare
exception Absenteeism and exaction
have wrought here even worse results
than the same baleful facts did in Ire
land. To great degree the old patri-
otism is worn out. The literal provin-
cialism, which has always been more
or less marked in Spain, and has ever
been a cause of weakness, the active
sectionalism which leads a man to say
and to feel-'I am a Gallician," or Il
am a Valencian,' or "a Castilian,"
rather than Il am a Spaniard, is
strongly marked at this time. The sue
cessive revolutions, the dynastic
changes, above, all the mercenary "bu-
reau" at Madrid, and the merciless
shipments of death-doomed conscripts
to the famine and fever graves in Cuba
and the Philippines have, to a large de-
gree, killed out the old national spirit.
The old neighborly and social faith is
worn out Man has but little faith in
man. Distrust, suspicion and a stern
sullenness have grown sadly common.
EXHAUSTED LANDED ESTATES.
To drive over the old and now scarce
passable roads, at times to cross afoOt
the hills, to stop at the wayside inns,
or to spend a few days on an estate or
a farm, gives you the opportunity OF
seeing what neglect, increasing poverty
and general unrest are producing in
many portions of land that might be
made to TEEN with plenty. The sum of
such study may be summed up in the
two words waste stretches" Some of
US know full well what the worn out
lands were, often seen in the old plan
tation days. But never so many mel
ancholy specimens were here seen, nor
can now anywhere else in Europe be
seen, as you very often must look on in
Spain. Districts which We're very gar
dens in the days of the busy Saracen,
and which were abundantly fertile for
many after centuries, are to-day prac-
tically wastes, yielding here and there
spring to the lean sheep that range over
the almost bare earth. North of Ma
drid, around COrdova, to the east OF
Seville and around Grenada, XereS
and CadiZ, exhaustion and barrenneSs
meet the eye on all sides 1t is not
change of climate. 1t is not that the
soil will not bear if cared for. Neglect,
thriftlessneSs, abuse of the soil, ignor-
ance of the most elementary farming,
pride, self-conceit and competition eX-
plain the present condition of things.
Lethargy and procrastination every
where reveal themselves. Never do to-
day what may be put off till to-mor-
row is a fixed article of faith. Ma
mana Senior" Tomorrow is God S
day. Ignorance of any improved meth
DDS of caring for and cultivating the
soil rules. The farming and the imple-
ments are of the olden days. The pride
that counts the farmers honorable toll
a disgrace holds in bondage the small
prcprietors The idea of husbanding
the resources of the land rarely shows
Get all out possible and give nothing
back. Then great depression and in
some cases hopelessness have arisen
from the growing competition of our
own farmers and fruit Ianchers. Amer
lean grain and pork. fruits, and even
wines, have made serious inroad in
the markets open to the Spanish hus-
bandmen and fruit growers. Prices
have fallen. Orcha1 dS, olive yards,
VINEYARDS With orange groves and