The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-15
4e aa4ieiia DaIu Eanre Sunday gloiua 1903.

cent edihce, in purely classical style anu
has several fine pictures.
There are several ruined churches which
were partly pulled down or burned by the
French army during the Napoleonic inva-
sion or by revolutionists since that time
And among them rises a purely modern
church called San Mateo, OF pure gothic,
richly enbellished, which was finished IS
late as 1894 at a cost of several hundre1
thousand dollars Why the ecclesiastical
authorities OF Spain permit the people 20
be taxed for the erection OF new churches
whe nthere are so many old ones. empty
and useless. is not esaily explained There
was no need Of another church in sela-
manca, but much need Of other thing
If an the people in the town-nen, women
and chHdren-should happen TO atteni
services at the same hour they would nov
half I'll those that were already stand
ing. while the priests, monks and nuns
the professors OF the university and olher
ecclesiastical officials uude rthe author
itv Of the bishop are living upon starv.i-
ton incomes. and are well off compared
with 20 per cent of the people Of their
parishes. Yet Salamanca snot excep-
tional in this respect. The same thing mas
occurred in other cities. in Madrid especi-
ally, where foundations have been laid ior
two magnificent cathedrals, one OF them
under the direct patronage OF the queen
who gives a generous sum every year for
construction purposes. but the walls arr
rising very slowly. At the present rate !.
viii be a century before they are ready
for the roof.
II you ask a priest or a monk or any
other citizen Of Salamanca why the new
church was built he viii spread out Us
hands. shrug his shoulders and say. 'Dios
sabe.' (God knows.
From the cathedral a street named IN
honor OF Christopher Columbus leads to
the massive old monastery Of San Este
ban (St Stephen, where that man OF he
roic enterprise. by order OF Ferdinand
and Isabella. submitted his theories AMI
plans to i commission Of monks, in 14Sl.
{ They denounced these as vain, imprac-
ticabfe and resting On grounds too weak
and unstable TO merit the support OF the
government" and yet in the center OF
the quadrangle bronze statue OF Colura-
bus was erected in 1892; the name Of tia
street upon which the monastery stands
was changed and called in his honor, and
the retabIe Of the altar Of the monastery
chapel is covered with gold that he
brought from San Domingo
The commission of monks met in I'll
Salon de Profundis. a splendid room with
ceiling of carved oak richly gilded, AMI
there Columbus made the argument n
favor OF. sending ship to search for .
western passage 10 India that wa streated
with derision and scorn. The waters OF
the Atlantic. beyond the Gates Of Hercu-
I,les (Gibraltar) were the outside boun-
daries Of the WORD. they answered, and
there was nothing beyond
Columbus secured his opportunity
the influence Of Mendoza. the grand car
dinaI Of Spain. who was always kindly
disposed toward the inportunate Geno-
csc. and seemed to think there was some
merit in his chem. 1t was he who intro
duced Columbus into the royal presence,
and his Endorsement gave him favor with
Queen Isabella, who was at once impress
ed with the imDortance and practice bility
of his enterprise. But. tbs king was more
conservative. and suggested that tie
proposition be Investigated by experts
Accordingly the cardinal directed Fernan-
do de TaIavara ensemble the most
learned astronomers and geographers in
the kingdom to hear what Columbus had
to say. 1t was natural to send him to
Salamanca. and the council was composed
Of Dominican monks of this monastery
+ and members Of the faculty Of the univer-
sitv
For several days they met 70 hear his
arguments an dtheOries, which We're de-
cIared vain and visionary, and he came
nearer being sent before the inquisition
because some Of the monks considered his
arguments contrary 70 the teachings OF
the scriptures. especially when he said
the earth was round; that pople walked
on the other side of it with their heads
downward. and that trees and plants
grew downward instead Of upward, "a
they did in Spain.
ONLY one man among all the council de-
Tended Columbus That was the prior Of
the Doninicans. Father Diego de Deza,
who was also professor or theology at the
university It was probably his influence
that prevented the monks from ordering
the old sailor before the grand inquisit1T
for Lasphemy but he was not sufficiently
influential 10 secure an Endorsement of his
r.
could. however. and after the decision
was rendered took him 70 Valcuebo.
: farm in the vicinity of Salamanca belong
. ing to the Dominicans. and kept him thee
+ fer more than year. This was peace
ful period in the stormy life OF the great
+ discoverev. and there he was allowed 4
( recover from his disappointment and
chagrin. In the center Of the farm is
a small hill called FL teso de Colon" Che
peak OF Columbus. where it is said az
used to pass long hours in solitude. The
present owner Of the estate. Don Martin
de Soils. has erected stone pyramid.
surmounted by globe. on the tor Of this
+ hill. TO commemorate its associations L
was in acknowledged OF the hospitality
OF Father Deza that Columbus sent him
a part OF the sold brought home on his
first voyage 10 decorate the altar Of The
+ convent chapel.
! Looking out Of the car window today.
saw an old monk astride donkey.
! amaling slowly along the dusty road. -iis
feet almost touching the ground. lie wore
the frock or n Franciscan made OF heav-.
coarse. reddish-brown wool and upon his
head WAS o little cap OF the same m
teriaI about as big as & coffee saucer.
! which covered only the back Of his head.
His bare feet were protected by sandals.
a strip % cowhids under the soles fastan-
81 b thongs around the ankles and ~
straps eve rthe toes. I remembered that
+ a. years ago Columbus came 10 Saiaman-
ca GA the same kind OF = conveyance over