Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-06
FIFTY YEARS AGO In THE STAR

the Conchas have declared Tor the
revolution; Madrid is in possession OF
the revolutionists; the queens stetue
has been dragged in disgrace tnrousn
the public buildings, and she -
fugitive on French SOIL 30 apsoiuee
a change in the government OF
great country has rarely been acnIev
ed. and the rapidity with which II mas
been brought about shows how gem
eral and deep was the feeling against
the queens government. That the
revolutionists will succeed in gettinS
rid of Isabella seems to be sure
What then? The problem of recon.
struction presented to the leaders OF
the revolt is even more dimcult OF
solution than ours on this side OF the
Atlantic. We have the old landmarks
left; they have to create govern
ment, the monarchy being in ruins.
| The lovers of progress and free gov
eminent will look with anxiety to the
next movements of the revolutlonlsts.
I Spain may not be prepared for repub-
| licanism. but it is expected that she
will have at least a constitutional
government. under a limited mon-
archy, which will be a great advance
from the tyranny of the Bourpona.
A. provisional government has oeeh
formed and SO far good order Is pre-
served. In Madrid the citizens frater-
! nized with the army and buildings
We're Illuminated in honor OF the sue
cess of the revolution.
The revolutionists. according to
their own proclamations, demand
| convocation of the constitutional cor
tez through universal suffrage. and a
new order of things. based upon lib
\ erty, right and justice. They want
an abolition of the odious octroi dues
levied upon the necessities OF life.
| and of unnecessary conScrfpttons; ana
a reduction of taxation that presses
the life out of productive industry;
| The road, they say, must be cleared
by the federation of all religious opin-
ion. the extinction of abuses. and by
/ respecting rights legitimately &C
quired. With this there was not long
since an idea of consolidating the
| Kingdoms of Spain and Portugal into
Il new and more powerful state, as
| the kingdom or republic OF iberia.
| The mention of Cuba in one of the
| proclamations of the revolutionary
| junta makes it pertinent to remark
! that it is an interesting matter TOT
| the United States to consider what
| influence this revolt may have upon
! the destiny of that important island.
! Europeans are more exercised 10
| know the effect of the revolution upon
their own governments, and the most
| interesting question appears to be.
What will Louis Napoleon do about
it?"
The South American earthquake and
| tidal wave caused much alarm In
| other parts of the world,
Cipant;o lest the earth might
| manifest its instability
MeteoF. in other quarters than
the often shaken portions of the
southern hemisphere. In The Star OF
October 3, 1868, is an editorial on the
subject of Dangers Above and Be
low," which is interesting in its cita
ton of a remarkable phenomenon in
Europe. Referring to the constant
chance of the earth meeting a meteor
in space, The Star said:
| AN aerolite, almost large enough to
rank in ponderosity as a comet, has
| recently fallen on the earth's surface
near Warsaw, in Poland, without do
ing any damage. but on the contrary
being itself shivered to pieces by con-
cuSsion with the atmosphere before II
reached the ground. 1t is said to have
a diameter of more than a mile. 1t
first burst high up in the air, then
each of the pieces broke up in turn,
until parts of the mass were reduced
Ito powder. One scientific man picked
jup more than 942 fragments another
1872 and millions more remain Strewn
over the country. This seems to show
that our atmosphere acts as kind of
cushion to protect us against all such
dangerous visitors, and also sets them
on fire by friction, and the heat thus
iengendered explodeS them into COM
paratively harmless bits"