The Brunswick news., 1909-08-04
WILL PRIDE OR MERCY VIM

Alfonso. of Spain. is not TO be en-
Wed. He must choose between pride.
as king. and the representative of
the rich and educated. and mercy, as
a ruler Of all his people, to determine
just where his true line OF duty runs.
SPANS standing with the nations and
her mission and commercial interests
IN Morocco are threatened gravely
J On the other hand her hundreds of
thousands Of poor, victims of a rich
class growing always richer and Of
a stern conscript law. call out for
relief from the cruelties Of war. King
Alfonso has apparently gene to the
war side OF the question, but not NEG
essarily to continue these. for with
revolution threatening within his
kingdom, he may he forced to aban-
don his martial policy.
IN Morocco a fierce Mohammedan
Berber tribe. the Kabyles. numbering
thousands. long restive over the com
mercial invasion Of the Spanish, have
precipitated clash with Spain by
killing workmen of one Of the mines
! worked By Spanish capitalists. Armed
with Mauser rifles, solo them by a
former Spanish governor, the Kabyles
are wei entrenched in natural strong
holds, and are animated with a fana-
tc zeal te Ein and slay their hated
enemy Death il only a way Of glory
TO these wild ribesmen, and special
glory. they believe. follows the Kill
ing Of a spaniad AT Mehna on the
northeast coast of Morocco. General
Marina commands q strong force of
men, 10 protect SPANS interests, but
the Europeans are outaumbered. and
await reinforcements to take the az
eressiye. SPAN has undertaken with
France to civilize and advance Mo-
rocco. and finds in this wild coun-
Try legitimate field for The invest
meni Of capital France and Eng
land look TO Spain to justify her pat
ronage Of Morocco. Financial inter-
csts Of Spain are also deeply involved
IN the trilesmen war
Were Spain in harmony ana peace
at home with her people working
together for national progress anu
| prosperity, the African disturbance
would not assume such formidable
proportions. The contrary is the
case In the passage Of years, there
have developed only two real classes
in the ancient HinSdom-the rich and
the poor And the temper of the
poor is lost Their condition is not
happy Loud and heartfelt are their
cries against war at this time, or at
any time; for war to the poor OF
Spain means conscription, the break
| ing up of families which have grown
from a laxity in the enforcement OF
conseription, and the brunt OF the
fighting. The man with $500 can buy
his substitute, but the poor Span
lard must die in the hills of Morocco
Aroused by varied influences, by
friends OF the pretender, by the Nj
| hlists, and by the socialists, the Bar
celonians. not themselves of the des-
titute hut in sympathy with them,
have risen in arms and are making a
bloody fight for a peace policy. X
is deep and far-reaching cry that
has assailed the ears of SPANS young
ruler and he must heed it.
It is not improba.,e that King AL
fonso viii plunge into the Riff war in
spite OF the call for peace which he
hears at home in the roar of revolu-
tionary musketry. But he must do
so half-heartedly, personally inclined
to heed his peoples will And the
cost may be fearful, for the thousands
J Of Kabyle warriors are thrsting for
camage, and they will slay and spare
mot. when pitted AGAINST their unwill-
Ing opponents who win fight their
best only when comered and in des-
perate straitss
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