The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-09-10

wRRNWc EnW Hr1NGER-Z0N
If the troubles that beset Spain on
the Mediterranean coast of Morocco
were not of her own making, there
would be a feeling Of considerable
sympathy with a country almost the
last of whose foreign possessions is
SO seriously threatened. Unfortu-
nately, Spain has brought the trou-
BILE upon her own head, or. to be more
accurate, the Ultramontane cabinet
that misgoverns the country has In
ficted them upon her. Most people
outside the Spanish cabinet do not re-
quire to be told that the Riffians who
inhabit the Moroccan highlands over
looking the Mediterranean are q
fierce, intractable, unconquered peo-
pie. Even Muza's Arabs could not re-
duce them to submission, and the
troops OF Cardinal Cisneros were
| equally unsuccessful. 1t may be said
| that the writ of the sultan himself
does not run far into the Riff coun-
try, where the people follow the life
that was theirs before civilization wis.,
tied western Europe, having their own
code of honor, their blood-feuds and
their in%ternecine strife. Great pi-
rates in times past, they have long
given up piracy as a profession, and
practice is o merely as a pastime.
But they have never ceased to exer-
else themselves In the profession of
arms, and for many years the little
wealth they have acquired by their
labors on the land and in the field,
and by the sale of the herds and
t1ocks they rear, has been devoted to
the purchase OF guns.
Guns and guns, and still more guns,
some coming from England. France.
or Germany. many coming from Bel
GUM, large quantities from Spain, and
lot a few from the sultan's own
troops; for it is no secret that when
a Moor is tired of serving in the army
in return for pay that is always in
arrears, he deserts, carrying his be-
loved gun with him, and sells it to
the nearest tribe that does not ac-
knowledge the sultan's authority.
ILNCA oA IL ScdoI uCy Ollu dLSiCl t.l1u
round Ceuta, Tetuan and Melilla, gun
running has been carried on openly,
more than nee within view OF the
writer. The guards on the beach have
been squared or tricked, and conveys
have been waiting within a mile of the
landing place to carry the precious
weapons into the mountains. So it
/ honr0rc <hof tho D}FHoru - ,,,o1l
armed, and they are fighting because
their territory has been violated. In
deed, II they had white skins and a
code of western morality, they would
be in serious danger of being called
patriots instead OF rebels.
The position in which Spain finds
herself Is one of extreme difficulty.
Senior Maura. the premier. is an obsti.
nate reactionary. The country is in.
censed against the war party. Span.
ish finances are in their chronic state
of weakness. The cost of subduing
the Riffs in money alone, to say moth
ing of blood. will be enormous. II the
government does not fall, II eastern
Spain can be pacifled, II 5000 troops
can be sem to Melilla and the other
presidios of Spain in Morocco, II the
Riffs can be driven OF and their noun.
tain strongholds can be destroyed, II
is hard too see what Spain can hope
to gain beyond a measure of glory and
a bill, that bear the same relation to
one another as the bread to the sack
in Falsta1's famous tavern account
There Is not enough money in all the
country Of the Riffs to pay the bill
that Spain has incurred already, anl
though some attempt may be made
to saddle the sultan with responsible
ity. it Is well known that Muiai q
Ha1d Ia no better able than Gen
Marina to control the tribesmen. MOI
IL the country Of the Rins calculated
to tempt sane men to conquer 1t. 1
ls Wild, rugged. inhospitable, and cal
scarcely yield q living even to thos,
who have been brought up in it. I
could only be kept at the point Of tn
bayonet, for wen II Spain had q sur
plus population, there would be n,
temptation for emigrants to settle II
such q wild and unproductive land
Spain has no c~olonists. she need
more population, and consequent!
there is absolutely no room for Al
imperial policy In Africa.
II Senior Maure were less obstinat.
and the rulers Of Spain less proud
one and all would see the advisable
ity Of retiring at ono from IN unteu
ohlo por1f{on hof0ro TIA vu0s,nAn -
ficted upon the nation BY the Cubal
troubles and the American war brok
out afresh. Nobody doubts the Drawer,
Of the Spanish troops: they have. AM
deserve . splendid reputation. Bu
mere bravery will do very little Il
campaign carried on under condl
tons with which the Spaniards .
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