The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-28
Bull FIGHTS
OYER N SPIN
Attempt to Overcome Taste
Which Demands Them.
ARE TAME AND CRUEL
And Do Not Devote Courage
in the Least.
ARE TAME AND CRUEL

Malaga, September Z7.-The first opinion
I shall mention was that of a Spanish
gentleman who took me up into a high
mountain rock Of this place, not to show
me the Kingdoms Of the earth, and the
glory thereof but TO show me a small
country house he had TO rent there X
was a pleasant rural house enough. but
with the radical objection that it could
be reached only by the dried bed Of a
torrent after a long ride on donkey back.
The august Festejos. or summer carni-
val, were on just then. Every Spanish
town is especially lively in August. and
as 10000 people or more come to Malaga
for the sea-bsthing. something unusual
has TO be done for their benefit The
gayeties were thinly spread over a
fortnight: one day a battle Of flowers,
another an evening concert. and so on,
and especially the buu-hghts. My com
panion spoke of staying a few days
quietly at his country place But you
viii be coming down for the great bull
fight on sunday he replied and, wav-
ing his torehnger with disgust and en-
phasis, a mi no mo GUSTAV los toros.
(Bulls are not 10 my taste)
Another typical opinion was that Of
the lady who was our hostess during our
stay in the city She was an elderly
person, a good housekeeper, sympathetic
in time Of sickness. sterling and at
tractive character. We used to call her,
among ourselves. "Dona Perfecta' not
that she had any disagreeable trait what
ever; but a look of severity that would
occasionally cross the availing amiability
OF her smile. recalled the impression pro-
duced by Perez Galdos' fictitious per
sonage. We We're going TO the buI-hght
one day, as strangers go Just for once"
70 what is curious in foreign countries
and we asked our Donna Perfecta if
she were. Il have never seen one IN all
my life she replied vigorously, nor do
lever think of going" A handsome young
widow. Il guest from Granada, whom in
like manner we had slyiy dubbed Pepita
Ximenez' though I found in passing.
that she herself had never heard Of
'Pepita Ximenez.' nor Of its author. Juan
valera-then spoke out plainly against
the cruelty and even against the monoto-
nous tameness OF the national diversion.
So here are three different opinions.
taken quite at random which cage rly in
dictate the existence of body Of enlight-
ened sentiment on the subject. But far
more important was the appearance of
an article in a leading newspaper, the
Union Meccantn Of Malaga. headed, Sin
Picadores" C'Without Picadors the
mounted men in the fghD. 1t consisted
of scathing denunciation Of the whole
wretched sport TO which the unfortu-
nate country is addicted.
IF we should put on savage war
paint and feathers. it said in part and
dance hand in hand. as do the red an
dams Of the West about their prey we
should only be in keeping with our true
position when attending these bloody
spectacle What an odious piece Of hy-
pocrisy. too. TO lecture children for tor
menting birds and insects, when the same
people so perhaps from that very lee
ture to feast upon the magnided horrors
OF the bull-ring
It went on To speak of the work of
the picadors as being the most brutal
part of the exhibition. as it is. and called
for the abolition Of that feature as "a
preliminary TO further reform. The poor
horses. as We know. are spurred blind
folded upon the horns of the bun for the
express purpose of being ripped open. I
and they are often seen going about
treading upon their own entrails
What a premium and final reward is
this" eNclaims the Union. for the pa
tient labors OF this faithful servant of /
man, Such baseness and treachery. such 1
a cowardly vileness. enter into this con- I
duct that few actions can be more de .
sradins 20 human nature. If cry OF 4
horrided protest does not arise from 4
al the spectators CRY which would /
DO them honor-it is because their finer
feelings have been calloused 10y familiar
ty with the sight from childhood. such +
! vicious education makes the devotee
II the Dull-hght himself n brute beast +
md nothing else.
This is as strong language as the most
tumble foreigner could desire. To give
"a its suggestions practical effect this
PAPER proposes that the different local
societies for the Protection Of Animals
md Plants which exist throughout spain
should meet in a congress and eudeavcr
q obtain the power OF legislation from
he national government An active
propaganda should also be begun through
he teachers Of the public schools. who
should be induced 10y rewards and other
wise 10 include as a part OF the regular
moral lessons they give, adherence Of the
The article in question drew out hearty
approval from many in the succeeding
numbers. and found favor in othro sour
he had already worked much for The
suse, and it held. and numerous sigma
ures 70 @ petition obtained at Barelonia
n 1901, but the movement died natural
sath The writer wants the agitation
@ be entirely Spanish and without the
cooperation Of foreigners II the sport
S called national then let the protest
gEinst il De thoroughly national. too
he journalist. Alfredo Caideron. known
u a wider than the local field. saws:
Apart from the horses the ban is
he only one who is in the right If il,
he animal conducts himself like man. I
Ut the version IS the Waterloo az rea-
on and the Austerlitz of instinct A
rowd q people gather at these vllainous
hows. some To massacre helpless beasts.
be rest TO delight in the carnage They {
eli as that this should prove q stirnu-
is TO Spanish spir4- and valor Precisely
he opposite is true; this is the apotheo-
is Of cowardice; true courage is generous
nd mercifui. only wretched cowardice
mean and cruel"
Al tAAs may be very encouraging as to /