The times., 1898-04-04
spanISh History.

about three hundred years ago, when
she was considered first-class power
of Europe That was the zenith of her
fame. She had then power, wealth, en-
pire and learning. She has been losing
all of these things ever since-the learn
ing first, the power next the wealth
next, and during the first quarter of
the present century the empire also d
parted in one grand landslide of CO.
lonial insurrection. and left her WITH
a few miserable little islands on her
hands, over which she was obliged to
maintain authority by terrorism,
| treachery and cruelty.
What is the cause oft his downfall?
Occasionally, to borrow an analogy
| from the business world, a good man
goes down because he has been good,
but not smart" He has been under
sold and outreached. Occasionally,
also, nation is overborne by other
nations because ii is not equal to the
complicated confidence game of diplo-
macy which is now and then played in
| International relations. If this were
the case with Spain. compassion might
! be felt for her in her present plight.
! But ii is not.
The Spaniard is a mixture of the
Celt. the Iber:an, and the Phoenician.
He has an inordinate pride, without
any sense of honor. The ascendancy
| gained by the Spanish nation during
| the sixteenth century was a direct re-
suit Of the attainments of two alien
| races. the Moor and the Jew, with
neither Of whom the born Spanlard
mixed to any considerable extent. The
Moor developed schools of architecture
and schools of mathematics and other
! sciences. He supplied most of the labor
| Of the country. He was frugal, tam-
/ peTate. and peaceful. The Jew assist
ed in developing the commerce of the
nation, as ne has always done wherever
he has gone. Between the two of them
Spain became wealthy and had a navy.
Then came the discovery of the new
world. and it was a case like that Of
Jeshurun in the Bible. When he waxed
fat. tilen he kicked. The Spanish peo-
pie decided to expel both the Moors and
the Jfws and the Spaniard, with the
resources of Moorish learning and in
dustfy and confscated Jewish wealth
as capital. went looking for dominion
and easily acquired gold in Eldorado.
Its conquest was easy. Besides the
treasures wrung from the natives, who
; had mined the gold of South America
: and the silver of Mexico, there was
! piracy on the high seas and other ad-
venturers Of another nationality could
be robbed of their treasure. Gold, sI-
ver and diamond mines could be work
Cd by the Indian as before, while the
: profits accrued to the Spaniard. BY
means Of European military devices
with which the Indian was totally un-
acquainted, it was as easy to subdue
the immense territory of Spanish
America as TO shoot pheasants on an
English estate, when beaters go before
10 drive the birds into range Ii was
more like butchery than sport.
1t is to be observed, however, that
whenever she has encountered a nation
Of really respectable fighting ability,
Spain has been beaten. 1t took very
slight persuasion to make her relin-
quish the huge possessions which, al
the beginning Of this century, were un-
der Spanish rule. The reason for this
is that it takes something besides un-
scrupulous cruelty and inordinate con-
ceit to make a good fighter. 1t takes
backbone, determination and loyalty
There is probably more determinat tior
in Spain's feeling about this last little
remnant of her dominion in the Wes
| Indies than there was about the othel
! colonies. Cuba is not an expensive out
post; il has been, on the whole profit.
2 able, and TO relinquish Cuba, to confess
4 that Spanish resources are inadequate
2 TO protect this small scrap of Spanish
[ rule. is a hard thing for Spain to do
[ This, however, no more calls for pity
1 than does the emotion Of a defaulte
e over giving UP the last five dollars o
< his booty. II may leave him poor, bu
T the money is not his, and he is no
{ to be pitied for his poverty. The pligh
{ of Spain is not due to the il-treatmen
l Of any other nation. 1t is due to he
own behavior for the last two hundred
e and fifty years, and before. She ha-
been living on the accumulated capita
Of her prosperity, and it is almost gone
| II may be good thing for her. as wei
d as for Cuba, that it has so nearly dis
u appeared.