La Junta tribune., 1899-02-04
SPAIN EXCITED OVER PORK.
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Dpoo0h Aoso tntofoeto0 - HneR DS0s0
aehs Thsn In Thsir Colo.isA
Madrid correspondence Of St Lou!,
Globe Democrat: II il difficult for an.
foreigner who lives among the Span
iards to understand how they have
come by their reputation for grayit!
and seriousness Throughout the re
cent disastrous war the people herr
have manifested the most amazing In
difference to the misfortunes of thei'
country. have declined to permit th'
interruption of any OF their amuse
ments or sports, and have displayed :
frivolity beyond all conception. From
what | hear II has been the same H.
most OF the provincial towns ant
cities of the peninsula
Within the las, few weeks treat.
has been imposed upon Spain by he
victorious foe, which marks he
eclipse as colonial power. and the un
happy kingdom is menaced by bank
rup;cy. ministerial crisis and civi
war. Yet In spite of all these subject
OF patriotic concern, public opinion hal
been monopolized by question o
=
condition OF popular excitement whiei
not even the news of the defeats o
Manila and Santiago had been able Il
arouse. II there Is one species o
meat which the Spaniards prefer Il
every other It is pork, and there II
probably no people in Europe tina
consumes such an enormous qnatity o
f.N h1 gh1 n
liver. black pudding and particularly.
sausage.
About four weeks ago a quarrel tool
place between the sausagemakers ans
the pig dealers. In consequence o
which the latter declined to furnisi
any hogs TO the Madrid market. ant
the lament of the expiring porker wa
no longer heard in the metropolitan
slaughter yards. A dearth OF pork
pigs liver and sausage ensued, whicl
brought dismay into the homes Of hoti
rich and poor. and created the mos
intense popular excitement Tn
newspapers have been devoting IA
more space to the pork and sausag'
famine than to the Carlist conspirac,
or to the Paris treaty. and the mos
extraordinary and eStrayagant storie
have been in circulation. according T.
one of which the famine was due q
the articles of philanthropic societ,
organized for the purpose of regener
ating the hog. and for preserving hin
from the knife in order to become !
useful member of each domestic es
tablishment. Finally popular exas
peration became SO intense that influ
entail deputations waited upon tn
premier. the ministers, the civil gov
ernor and the alcalde, or mayor, In
voking and demanding their interyen
ton to bring about the termination o
the pork famine. The mayor. indeed
has received numerous letters from in
dignant persons actually threatening
him with death II he continued L
show more concern for the life OF tn
pig than for the welfare OF his fellow
citizens.
These menaces, ridiculous thoug'
they may appear. alarmed not onl,
himself, hut also the government.whicl
perceived therein the imminent DANCE
OF popular disturbances, and of porl
riots. that might ultimately result ii
the overthrow OF the throne. So tn
minister OF the interior and the alcadl
and a number of high and mifitar,
dignitaries put their shoulders to tn
wheel. and after no end OF negotiation
and the distribution OF some decora
,ions. finally succeeded in reconcilini
the dealers and the sausage manufac
turers.
The pork famine came to an end oil
Christmas eve. The advent of Christ
mas day was heralded in a more pop
ular than harmonious fashion by tn
squeaks of the dying hogs. and tn
Madrilenes, quite happy and contente'
again. feel that they are once more IL
position to face with philosophic res
| ignation any further national disaster
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