Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1912-12-13

Up IN the far northwestern cor
ner of Africa, where the sun
beats dowL hot and fierce, lies
w. the little country of Morocco.
blinking insolently across the
Straits of Gibraltar at Spain and re-
garding with equal contempt the rest Of
the civilized world. For civilization
has touched Morocco but lightly and
at heart it's white-robed inhabitants
are as savage as we're their ancestors
who, fighting beneath the Crescent.
tried to conquer Europe for Moham-
med twelve hundred years ago.
Those warriors of the prophet failed.
but their descendants still show the
same savage spirit now and then. and
when they do 1t is q good time for
those of other faiths to barricade the
doors and windows of their houses II
they cannot fee. Only a few weeks ago
there was a bloody massacre In Fee.
the capital Of Morocco, In which hum
dreds Of Jews, their wives and their
daughters, were slain
But the power Of Morocco is gone,
and Spain today is in no danger from
the fierce little country that clings
to the northern edge of the Sahara.
The Moors may look across to Gibral-
tar and reflect that 1t and all the coun-
try to the north of 1t once was theirs.
but there is little danger that the flag
of the prophet ever win be unfurled
again on Spanish soil
Counted II Privilege to Die.
1t was early in the eighth century
that the Moors streamed across the
straits and into Spain All Northern
Africa was adame with the new re-
ligion Of the prophet. From Arabia
the followers of Mohammed had come
with fire and sword, converting by
force OF arms and counting it a privi-
lege to die lighting for the advance of
Islamism Northern Africa, whose
only religion was a decadent Chris
hanity. had not been long in taking the
new faith up, though there was some
stubborn fighting against the Arab
invaders. The Berbers, who were the
principal inhabitants of Morocco. had
at first resisted, then taken up
Mohammedanism with a rush. And
then. led by the Arab priests and gen.
erals and aided by two or three
treacherous grandees Of Spain, they
had sailed across the narrow strip of
water which separated them from
Europe and started out conquering
Spain. The Gothic kingdom which
had fiourished there was DESTROYED.
Many of the sturdiest of the Christian
inhabitants of the land fed to the
mountains and upland country rather
than submit to Moor Jurisdiction.
Many who remained professed their
conversion to Mohammedanism. while
others were allowed to remain
Christians, although under many
hampering restrictions. Gradually
little Christian kingdoms were built
up in the north of Spain, and these
made war against the Moors, who
were regarded as the incarnation of
all that was evil AS matter OF fact,
they seem to have been industrious,
skillful and capable of achievements
III olCullCCtuAC ono 6CncIdl CuituIc
which we're considerably in advance
of anything the Spaniards themselves
had accomplished
Left Some Wonderful Buildings.
The relics Of their civilization which
exist today. principally in the form
of old buildings. palaces and archways.
are among the most beautiful things
in Spain The Alhambra. where the
Moorish kings Of Granada lived. is a
wonderful labyrinth of walls and bal
comics and terraced gardens.
Perhaps time has cast something OF
a glamour over those ancient Moors,
but certainly they seem to. have been
foemen of finer sort than the swarthy
cut-throats who make up the popula-
ton Of present day Morocco Al
though their skins were dark from
long residence in tropical climate.