The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-11
SPAIN AS 1T Z
IS O. . }. y (
~ EueENIo i oNTERo BIOS,
u President y OF Spanish Senate.

L
President Of Spanish Senate.
~- ACCEPT with pleasure and nm
IHi III 5 extremely honorcdS by the IN
lMl i vitatlons which: the editor IVA
)SSSSa1 given me-. I take advantage 1
lSGa0sssssI Of It with gratitude, mas
-'r.' M much as 1t affords me the
opportunity Of giving express IDEAS c'a
which are favorable to- my country . and
at tie same time arcsfounded on truth ruth
and justice before tho Americanspnpll y
which seriously occupies itself with cues
tions Of high political importa NC e=3sanld
of tional interest. q
AS Il general rule, y distinct idea Is
entertained in foreign countries Of what
Spain is thinks, and desires 4 and Amer
Inn Il. by no means free from \ the mis-
taken and injurious mot ions of my coun { \
itry#Whcl are almost 5unlv Il Sc'irre e,
SThis may, perhaps, r n rise from u ~ act
that the studies Of the grea writers are
confined to tile centuries hen the 3in--9
iausltion and Intolerance were the scourge5
iS,f Tie Kingdoms OF the peninsula or are
limited to the more recent period lS.of
internal adiscord.s The notion wi ich the
generality Of Americans has q conceived ".
Of us represents us as "a people crysllai-
.lized by the influence of aEhaughty ythe0.%
crazy, or as q survival of medieval times mes
and habits.
Even as regards our dress and our
manners the same false notions prevail
The typical Spaninrd, rs shown in Inns
stratcd papers and engrayings, IS the
sAnlaiusian singer or dancer, the snlgsle
OF pictorial art, IN tile staggering dandy
and tho gypsy tatterdemaltlton; 3 types
which, arc as foreign 70 the gen erals. lie OF
tho nation as they would 3l,e ! n America,
and which, are ii ba$ found In Spain
only insthe booths at fairs, on the stage
OF musicgE halls,&Sat balls at carnival
time, and lii shows of like nature.
& Undoubtedly, literary mcn.and politicians
WHO ara Gu pable of Judging us correctly
do exist, but the immense majority be7f
.lieves or inlagines that even TO- day the
shadow OF Torquemada and Philip H. Is
oycrSus all. and knows nothing OF the
srebirtllt OF Spain to a. ifeaof Sprogres, of
the splendor& fourannivers ties. Of the
works Of our glorious master Of science
and art, of our$centurY long struggle for
liberty or of the 8triumph8of that pacific
democracy, which, gives It's characterize
fopy igstlt utionstand our Jurisprudence.
Possibly III s owing TO this spirit q for
getfulnsss and ID "a lure 70 understand tan
our attitude slsartgards International re-
3lations, tllh Il We have Il to dep lore "a con <
stunt predis posit ion onst Amerl-
can znVbllcl opinion TO difference and lto
dislike, SIlsliall ,consid or myself fortunate
III by Il simple exposition Of he trut ~
can lay these ghosts and cause. these mis-
conceptions 10 vanish. ga. Il 81
+ Nc have no need to- indulge &lnE empty
self Qualification. Since the time Of our
colonial. disasters Spain has broken with
the romantic andAthe epic, but sla treas
,,ro,i In In bn tnrnOSth racRgSoS of r,
heart, just as noble families reYerently
preserve their glorious tlc#decds, and.
though they tllnYc seen their y legendary,
castle fall intnArulnl and the decay A OF
their selgne,,rlals authority A yet keep their
sense at honor5in llnimpaired vitality and
their dignity undimlnished. Ii
i IL tho opinion Of other nations there.
Is Nothing tia gsnN9rs 4of the pa st In the.
rapid, thorough, and cfiicaclols manner
| inwhIrl, Spain proceeds with hcr recon
striictIon. Since the bloody naysssin
Cuba and tho Philippines, and tho dis
asters she suffered In the conflict with
such anEnnequal adyersarytasE the United
States. 0,ir country Z Is 4 etlgaE ed f4 III rc-
cooperating her strength. Isl
4. She has proved her perfect solycncy,
even to the point Of prodlgality. In he
manner In which shcpaid debts for which
she had only q secondary esponsibil lty,
and which she succeeded In u excluding
from the opera ton of the treaty of Paris
Our securities arc quoted at q higher fig
urc than that at which they stood before
| the war, the wealth of5the Inhabitants IS
| increasing, our Industry and commerce
| have notably developed and one may ssay
in general that. now that Spain Is more
concentrated in herself her efforts ,haye
| gained In intensity what they have lost
| In cxtensiyencss. No one can forget the
vital energy revealed by q country which,
! In tho space OF n quarter pf a century
has transported more than 400, 600 men
j In hcr own ships across the q tia ntlc,
has spent more than 5000, 900 900 pesetns,
and has got 10 far whistle llquidatio Ion
than tw0.thlrds has already been paid
| OFF - MI "a III;
Further. you cannot leave out Of your
calculations n race when IL the mother
] of SO many civilized nations, whose lap-
] Euagc Is only second to l9ngllsr as re-
/ CARDS the number Of human beings who
4 speak H.
4 II do not suggest that we do not dream
of furlherfHdyenturcs;9 III any case. Wllcl
We count our hopes ms TO the5 place ~
the world which destiny reserves for us
4 we dn not forget that powerful England
I was In the reign OF Charles l1.a IN ,'
worse position than that IN which W.
find ourselves to-day. ti,nt{ Germany 5Sfcl
4 far lower after thu Nnpoe0nc WARS tllai
n we ever fell; and thai Italy, which y
. now courtcd ny the great powers, seryet
FOR centuries ne tile cockpit OF the KING
Of Europe, whoever treated her as TN
spoils Of war ere treated tby the con
{ gneror. u