The Washington herald., 1908-04-19
BY WILLIAM MAXWELL.

RamDia VIII not be interrupted by an
explosion. Sixty bombs in twenty-four
years-46 killed and 1oa wounded-have
shaken his nerve
II is the mystery, not the damage, that
haunts him. for never IN all these years
has the secret of outrages been surprised
or betrayed Men have been arrested, II
is true, and at this moment a prisoner is
being tried on the charge OF placing
bombs for the PuTpore Of obtaining re-
wards by making disclosures 10 the gov
ernor. Yet no light has ever been thrown
on the mystery.
A WeI1-pOIieed City.
Are there no police? you ask. Yes; the
police Ct Barcelona are many and vari-
Gus. There is the ancient Dogberry. who
walks the street cloaked like a conspira-
tor. stan and lantern IN hand. Every
night at IL he locks your front door-be
you rich or poor-with0ut asking IL you
are at home. II there is a fire or you
are in need OF a doctor; II you have miss
ed your last train, or been detained at
the office or have an early appointment
whatever cause impeis you to enter or
TO leave your domicile between the hours
or II p m. and a. m.-yOu must sum-
mon Dogberry by clapping your hands,
For a penny he unlocks your door-what
a memory he must havel-hands YOU a
little lighted taper. and departs with
STAFF and lantern to proclaim the hour and
the weather, and to warn all thieves
whom IT may concern that they had bet
ter go into hiding
Then there are the moZos de escuadra.
who dress like footmen and look as if
they had just stepped down from the
back OF the lord mayors coach; the ur-
ban police-easiiy mistaken for London
metropolitan police who have dyed their
blue tunics scarlet; the sometimes. or
special constables. organized and armed
against robbers, and summoned by ring
irg Of bells; municipal police-all dis
- narged soldiers, with Teyolvers and side
rms government police, whose special
uty IS the detection Of crime, guardians
security responsible for order in the
treets; the civil guard, mounted and on
oot-a smart body Of men who stand no
Onsense and use the carbine or revOl-
er without waiting 10 ask for your birth
srtihcate; and last, though not least,
le new criminal Investigation depart
en-, under the direction of Inspector
rrow an able and distinguished recruit
ON Scotland Yard.
With so many guardians. ancient, me-
eval, and modern, Barcelona ought TO
sep soundly and to walk securely. Per
,ps the very multiplicity Of her custo-
ans prevents the solution Of the mys-
~.
The Alleged Explosion.
1et me give my own experience during
recent VISIT Of King Alfonso. After
first explosion I called upon friend
the criminal investigation department
s---.
the urban police. The urban police
aw nothing, but a municipal policeman
on duty near the spot The munich
policeman had read Of a bomb In the
newspaper, but heard nothing unusual
on his beat. A civil guard undertook 10
show me the spot and failed-not from
want Of will or effort-with the aid Of a
municipal police officer. In despair the
municipal policeman summoned two mo-
zos de escuadra, while I seriously
thought OF inviting ancient Dogberry or
sounding the tocsin for a special consta-
bic. But the mozOs de escuadra, who
disguise themselves as fOOtmen. guided
me 10 the place on the water edge 120
PAGES from the nearest point that the
King could possibly have approached
After minute examination we discovered
the iron condensing pipe in which the
petard had exploded without even crack
ing the pipe.
went back to my hotel and listened to
a Spanish journalist describing to a cir
Gle Of admiring friends the huge hole in
the ground and the narrow escape Of the
King-if the bomb had rot exploded be-
fore its time. Anxious 10 be we'll in
formed, offered a reward OF $50 for the
production of-the hole in the ground
Ny friend declared that it had been COW
cred up (the wharf is of stone and con-
crete). but if I was still unconvinced of
the terrible Tavages Of the bomb he
would send the editor Of q Republican
journal TO show me the place-which he
had not visited. The editor came and
walked straight to the iron tube, and
smiled when I asked for the hole in the
ground that. of course, was for the
newspapers only.
Together we made a pilgrimage to the
scene Of the second explosion. where, in
a rash moment / offered to carry in my
pocket an ordinary Barcelona bomb
This offer, which savored OF contempt
must have got wind, for on Sunday
when fourth bomb exploded and in
jured some poor market women, three
deputations Of journalists solemnly wait
ed on me with the INJURY: What do you
think now OF or bOmbs?' I had 10 con-
ed their reputation, though l shall al
ways have an uneasy suspicion that in
some way or other ! was indirectly re-
sponsible for that last and only effective
bomb.
Choice of Perpetrators.
II you ask who places the bombs and
what Is their purpose, you may take
your choice from as many theories as
there have been bombs Here are few.
Madrid. because Catalans want home
rule: Marseilles and Genoa. because
their commercial supremacy in the Medi-
terTanean Is threatened by Barcelona;
spectators. because they profit by the
depreciation of property; anarchists. be-
cause they have sworn to avenge the
torture Of prisoners at Montjuich: Union
lists, because they want to discredit the
home-Tuls movement; home rulers. be-
cause they would substitute violence for
argument: blackmailers, because they
have lately been robbed of municipal
grants and sinecures.
Rational and responsible men in Ma
drid and Barcelona arc ready to defend
any OF these theories. There Is only one
that can be refuted by argument An
archists 90 not propagate their doctrines
by secreting bombs in the mean streets
Of the poor Co in obscure corners where /
they can injure only some casual labor |
err Their weapons ara directed against
the governing classes.
That Barcelona bombs are instruments
OF terror rather than Of destruction Is /
certain They are feeble as explosives !
and are left In places where they can do |
little harm. OF 80 bombs, 40 did not dam
age and 10 caused deaths, alone being |
responsible for The loss OF IS lives and |
20 wounded persons. Though the loss Of |