The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-03-20
CAUSES OF SPANS DECLINE.

Various Facts and Opinions from n
Paper In Westminster Review.
Chicago Times Herald: Now that
the spaniards have been vanquished,
many pedantic Europeans pity them,
and call down all sorts of curses on the
Americans, whom they accuse of vIolat-
Ing right. Nevertheless, the fate OF
Spain Is historical necessity. The
Americans are only the instruments in
the lawiof cause and effect"
So says Paolo Zendrlni, writer for
the Westminster Review, In an article
on THE Spanish Decline" which refers
the, fate Of Spain to the Spanish char
acter, and gives a curiously interesting
analysis Of the latter. Nature-that Is,
the nature Of the country--is first held
responsible for the Span!ard. The ell
mate, dry, fierce and changeful In tenn
perature, makes 1t impossible to work
during the whole Of the day, and ZEN
cournges among the people an irregu-
larity and instability Of purpose which
makes them choose the wandering call
Ing Of the shepherd rather than the
more settled pursuits of agriculture"
From their mode of life follows n love
OF adventure and the spirit of romance
that give tone to the popular literature.
People thus influenced are prone TO su-
perstitlon, and here again nature comes
to the aid Of the priesthood. The PEN.
instla, rugged and mountainous. has
been the scene of disastrous earth
qualses. which appeal to the ilnagina
ton Of the ignorant and fill them with
superstitious terrors.
Perhaps the singular fanaticism Of the
Spaniards might be better explained
by the long religious wars against the
Moors. But there is no doubt, as this
author points out. that the clergy found
1t to their interest to direct it to the
support of the crown, and that 1t result
red In unreasoning loyalty. Even to this
day, the people, as n whole, have no un-
Outstanding Of civil liberty, and within
the last quarter Of century they have
tried an experiment in republcanism
which made their best republican lead
crs confess that they were untitled for
government.
One of the stumbling blocks In the
way Of reform is the prevailing ignor-
ance which is common to all classes of
Spaniards, in spite Of honorable excep-
tons. Their inactivity, both bodily
and mentally" says Zendrinl, would be
incredible were 1t not proved by every
variety of evidence" He then tells an
amusing story by way of Illustration,
which proves that even the learned
bodies Of the kingdom are conspicuous
for their lack of learning. Once when
the University of Salamanca decided to
send an address In Latin to Pope Plus
TX 1t labored long over the work, and
then submitted 1t to Prof. Huebner, Of
Berlin. for correction. So bad was
the Latinity that that erudite German
was forced to do 1t all over.
There was always the densest ignor-
ance in the colonies. Although Spain
held the Philippine Islands for three
centuries. they have been studied by
only one Spanish scientist. The labori-
Gus paths of knowledge are repugnant
to the race, whatever the field of re-
search. Thinking peoples seek in phys
ical spectacles for the inmost and pro-
contrary, plunges into his imagination
so thoroughly that he changes 1t into
a sensation or vision.
The substitute for knowledge Is an In
ordinate pride, of which some curious
examples are given. This fortihes iG-
norance. and with 1t prevents pro-
sress. while human intellect has
!. been making the most prodigiors and
unhcard of strides. while discoveries in
every quarter are simultaneously press
ing upon US. Spain sleeps on. untroubled
impressive, receiving no impression from
the rest OF the world, and making none
upon it." So long, therefore, as she
puts forward world pretensions. the
historic necessity for her downfall was
obvious.