The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-07-21
COSMOPOLITAN MADRID.
THE SPANISH CAPITA IS ANY-
 THING BUT 4 SPANISH CITY.
It's Parks and Pleasure Grounds-The
 Newspapers of Spain.

-
 Newspapers of Spain.
 Especial Correspondence of the Journal
 and Courier)
 Madrid, Spain, June 19.--Amid all the
 eplendors of this royal city, one is con-
 scious of a feeling of disappointment,
 because it is so much like other mod { ern capitals, so void of picturesqueness
 and individuality-aside from the Esco- rial, so utterly lacking in the charms
 of antiquity, romance and tradition that cling around Cordova, Seville, Toledo and Grenada. Indeed, the Spanish cap ital has never been a thoroughly Span ish city; and as time goes on, 1t seems to have less and less in common with other centers of population in the Pe- nifisula. Though known to history thousand years, it remained an insig- nificant village until Charles V. made it his occasional residence, on account of his gout, and Philip II, the most hy- pochrondrical king in history, selected it as the gloomiest place he knew in which to establish the seat of his mel ancholy government. While the pro- gress of modern improvement is less marked in Madrid than in most Euro pean capitals, on account of the clan nishness of its people and the incredi- ble tenacity with which they cling to the prejudices of their ancestors, it Is still so noticeable as to excite the won- der and disapproval of provincial rus sics and to produce changes which would make it's Spanish founders turn in their graves to contemplate. Nearly all it's present architecture is foreign, as well as the dress and social customs of the people, and the most of heir musements-barring the bull-fght. As rule, with very few-exceptions, the hotels are kept by Swiss: the cafes, res taurants, saloons and gambling places by Italians; the most prosperous dry goods merchants are French; the drug gists, Germans; the clothiers, manufac- turers, importers and wholesale deal ers English or American. There are so many of the latter that it ought to be a favorite resort for those Anglo-mani acs who turn up their trousers in New York when it rains in London! In Spain they would inevitably be taken for English. even irthey did not ape the latest London fads; for the Spaniard makes no distinction between the peo- ple and products of England and North America, but labels them all "Ingleses." Here American" means South Ameri- | can, representing countries with | which these peoples are much more fa- miliar than with the United States, and l if you tell them that you are an Amer | ican," they immediately express sur prise that you do not speak Spanish as | @a,.o +hou To | standing seems to be equally shared by | the South Americans who come to visit | the mother country, and who frequently | apply to the American ministry at Ma dred for assistance or advice, when they should go instead, to that of Chli, or Peru, or wherever they hail from. All | this seems natural enough, in view of | the close relations that have always ex- isted between Spain and her ex-colo- mics; but it is not flattering to the na- tional pride of Uncle Samuels sons and daughters to find their beloved land sponged off the map altogether It is particularly aggravating to see many of our inventions and products utilized in i Spain and credited to "Ingleses;" street cars and locomotives and ma I chinery; our Elgin watches and Wal than calico and Jamestown alpaca; pur Baltimore oysters, and Columbia timed salmon, and Nantucket codtish, and Minnesota flour and Michigan ap- ples and Delaware peaches and Orange county cheese: even our soda fountains, which are absolutely unknown in Eng 1and-all masquerading here under the general term of "Ingleses. However, Spain has had famous opportunity to become acquainted with us during the last two or three years, and no doubt is now beginning to realize that the Un- cle Samuers country does exist and Is not to be ignored on land or sea.
 Of Madrids five hundred thousand abitants, it is said that three hun dred thousand have been added within the last forty years, and at least one third of its edif1ces have been built dur