Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1899-12-23

The Assistant Principal of b En-
reka Public schools Argues I'm
Favor Of Its study.

relations with Spanish speaking countries
are being drawn closer and closer, more
attention is being paid to the study of the
Spanish language. English no doubt VIII
always be the tongue Of the commercial
world; French, for centuries. has command
ed in diplomatic circles, and German is last
replacing Latin and Greek IS the language
of the student and scholar throughout the
civilized world. Quite another motive
calls for the study Of Spanish.
As the Mexican civilization advances
we of the West will be the first to be
brought in contact with its development.
In many respects the people of Mexico
are not at all conservative. Under that
great man, President Diaz. MEXICO is
making the most rapid strides socially and
industrially. The United States to-day is
the chief selling market for Mexican goods,
takes over three-fourths of all Mexican
exports and each year we buy more heavily
Of Mexican products. All the northward
running railroads are owned by American
capitalists. The city Of Mexico is about
to be connected by three lines of railroads
with the United States, and already there
is a great demand for educated Spanish
speaking Americans in the railway service.
Already in 1898 imports from the United
States into Mexico amounted to S2O,OOO,-
600; into the Central American States in
1894 over 50, 900, 900, and South America,
excepting Brazil. over s16, DOC, 900. Since
that time there has been an astonishing
increase in both exports and imports.
Each year will call for a greater knowledge
of Spanish on the part of Americans in
order to transact business with these
countries.
Furthermore. the Spanish world is APP
preaching a period of literary prominence.
With the lesson in m~odernity that Spain
has just learned from the United States.
and with the rapid industrial advancement
in America comes a period of literary ac-
tivity among Spanish speaking people.
In the drama and the novel Spain has
long held a prominent place in the worlds
literature, and it seems evident now that
the ''siglo de orc" of Calderon and Lope is
again being revived by Juan Velara, Alar-
con, Pereda, Valdes, Padre Coloma and
the celebrated Benito Perez Galdos. The
subtitle, gay, delightful style of Velara, the
rich, traditional culture Of the true Spanish
type depicted by Galdos and the original
and various fiction of the journalists is
awakening an interest in the Spanish lit
erature of to-day. In these writers all the
conflicting passions, illusions, hopes,
failures, dispairs, hates-the anxieties
which an awakening "Zeitgeist" causes
in every nation, bring the old ard the new
face to face, and the inevitable result of
such journalism is q downfall of the old
and a rapid substitution of the new. Is
the United States to profit by this advance
ment?
The Spanish speaking element in our
land is large and increasing. Our rivers,
valleys and mountains TEEN with beautiful
names given them by the early ~"padres;"
shall they be corrupted by the ~uninitiated
American tongue; shall the youth of our
country forget the works and virtues of
early Spanish missionaries? Spanish zen.
erositv and hospitality are already giving
way to American greed for wealth. Our
already victorious arms will carry no tri-
umph unless they carry hum~anity-and
that means Christianity into the homes Of
the subjected Spanish speaking people.
We n teach them loyalty and patriot
ism unless we can converse with them, not
in the language Of the strange conqueror,
but in their mother tongue, the speech OF
their ireside, their church and their
school. This is the "White mans burden"
and in this alone are we 'the white man."
And all this without a word concerning
the sweet accent of the Castilian tongue
itself; the language of the guitar and court.
Beautiful Castilianl Is it not worthy the
mastering for its own sake?
G. Z. HAAS.