The Daily News FRIDAY, AUGUST 6. THE TROUBLES IN SPAIN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 165, 6 August 1909, Page 2

The Daily News FRIDAY, AUGUST 6. THE TROUBLES IN SPAIN.

[t would seem that it is impossible that n decade in the history of Spain should 6 pas's tranquilly, and it is quite in keep- P ing with tradition that the unfortunate fl and decadent nation should again find a itself involved ill a disastrous war, and r internal disruption. The history of t Spain properly began with the Cartha- 1 ginian invasion about B.C. 238. The * Romans later undertook the subjugation ' of the entire country, but in this they | did not completely succeed until after ' a war of about 200 years' duration. Un- ' til the reign of Antonius Pino, ivlio 1 granted all his subjects a uniform con- ' stitution and laws, the cities of Spain were ruled by different laws. These and ' other measures made Spain one of the 1 most nourishing provinces of the Human < Kmpjre" and a centre of lioiuan civilisation. Christianity was early introduced into Spain, and after the conversion of Constantino the Great became the dominant religion there. The disorganisation and confusion consequent upon the tall of the lloman Empire facilitated the conquest of the, country by the Vandals, who made themselves masters of Southern Spain; the Suevi, who es-i-ablished themselves in the region now known as Galicia; and the Alans, who gained possession of what is now Portugal. • These, however, were soon afterwards attacked by the Visigoths, who after many years' struggle, succeeded in i educing the whole Peninsula' to their sway. .From A.D. 407 to 484 the great Euric extended the kingdom of Visigoths, by the expulsion of the Vaiuh - : and the ltomans, and gave them their first written laws'. The introduction of the Catholic faith in 580 gave the corrupt Latin language the predominance over the Gothic, and after that time the unity of the Spanish nation was maintained by the Catholic religion and the political iulluenee of the clergy. But after retaining the mastery of the country for nearly two centuries, the Visigoths were in their turn conquered by the Arabs or iL.ors of Africa. After that the greatest part of Spain became a province of the caliphs of Bagdad. For some years after the conquest of Spain the Moors held it as a dependency of the province of North Africa, but it was afterwards (717) governed by emirs appointed by the caliphs of Damascus. A period of about 40 years, marked by much bloodshed, saw the Moorish dominion extended beyond the Pyrenees A period of prosperil. followed, to rapidly decline when the various provincial governors declared themselves in dependent and assumed the title of kings. Although Arabian princes reigned and the Moors were dominant, the free exercise of their religion was allowed to the Christians, and also the retention of their language laws and magistrates. Meanwhile the Visigoths, who had succeeded in maintaining their independence in the mountains of Asturia and Galieia, commenced to expand their kingdom under Alphonso 1., the Catholic. Small Christian republics sprang up in various parts of the country, their rulers later assuming the titles of kings. Though frequently at war with each other the Christian princes generally united against their common foe, the Mooijs, who were daily becoming less able to cope with them. After a protracted period of war there remained, in 1212, only the kingdoms of ) Cordova and Grenada to the Arabians, ' and even these were soon afterwards obliged to recognise I lie supremacy of Castile. Notwithstanding the success of its' arms against the Moors (the "infidels") the country suffered much. Oppressed by taxes nnd desolated by war it was far from being in a prosperous condition. In 140!). a fusion of the dominant kingdoms was consummated by the marriage of the reigning princes, and for a time they proceeded harmoniously with the work of fusing all the states of Spain, which still differed in religion, customs and laws, into a political and ocHcMa-t ic;il unity, at the same time seeking to strengthen the loyal authority at the expense of the clergy, the aristocracy, and the towns. By a severe administration of justice order was established throughout the country. 'The royal power was particularly strengthened and e.vtendvd by the establishment of the Inquisition, with its detestable mission, iq 1481. A cruel edict was about this time issued against the Jews, the inquisition, in spite of its activity, having failed to eilect all that had been expected from it, and an order was i sued in 1402 for the expulsion of all Jews who did not submit to be baptised. Nearly the whole race thereupon, rather than sacrifice their religion to their worldly interests, left the country. 1 In this sentence of banishment the Moors were also included, anil the departure of the industrious Jews and Moors proved a fatal blow to the nourishing industry of the country, which was further affected by the' discovery of American by Columbus in 1402, this being the means of withdrawing much of the activity of the nation from the improvement of the mother-country. Serious insurrections broke out at the beginning of the sixteenth century, but they were .s'oon quelled and Spanish armies commenced win fame throughout Europe by foreign wars uf aggression. But these ivars exhausted the revenues of the country, despite the immense wealth that flowed in from Mexico, (nun |>eru anil l from Chili. Willi the reign of Philip 11. (lj,iU-US) the great monarchy began to decliir.'. lOppr ssion and religious intolerance, war r;id insurrection, occasioned the loss of the Netherlands and depopulated the rest of the monarchy; and the conquest ol Portugal, which remained united with Spain from 1581 to 1040, could not prevent its decay. England an.l Jlullaud triumphed over the naval force of Spain, and destroyed her commerce, -t'"s calamitous period was nevertheless the golden age of literature and art in hpniii. and the Spanish language ami fashions controlled the courts of Europe. Another blow was struck at the commeiro of eo, m t r y by expelling, in IW>». the last remnants of tlje .Moors to the number of 0(10.000, and the country look greater strides than ever towards decay. The wars which were | carried on in Germany, rtiil.v, the Neth-

. ''Hands and France in the reign oi I l'hilip IV., helped to complete the ruin I'f the country and stirrnd lip revolts [anil civil war which in Catalonia lasted about 10 years, and in Portugal resulted in I hat country securing her inie. l"'»'l'Wc. The population of Spain, Z! 1 ' to 11. mi | lion 3in f ''" 011 al ""'t f>l"t niillionß at tl'V '"'ginning of the eighteenth ceiln'en commenced the war of the Succession lasting twelve years and ending in the Peace of Utrecht in 1i1... by winch Spain resigned most of I " >r t ' p l >o " r 'nneies in Europe, England ! smirmjr <!il»rnller. I

Jli'llc.r days dawned for Spain with the wiri-ccsidn tn the throne in 1753 of nr. T-udor hi s reign the' I'Oiulmn la mi I v compact involved Spain, i» lis injury, in the war-bet-ween the I rench and (he Jiritisli. The expeditions against Algiers' likewise miscarried, as did the siege of fiibralter in the of '"9-S3. Vet this did not. di«Uirl, the course of the internal adn,initiation, provision being i„ n ,le for the advancement of agriculture, the useful I arts, and commerce, and this liad a beneficial effect on the population, which now rapidly increased. The power of the Inquisition was restricted, while ,lho Jesuits were banished in 1707 from fill the Spanish dominions. War with the French republic followed, and later Spain and France declared war on. England (1700). Spain went further downhill, and then commenced tlio Peninsula War, in which Spain was deeply involved until well on in the nineteenth

to 6'ave the State whs frustrated by the influence of the camarilla, and tiie prestige of Spain was further lowered by the loss of the American colonies, an attempt to re-conquer which only resulted in a miserable failure. In 1820 a military.' iiisurrectioii broke out /or the i purpose of restoring the constitution, towards which Ferdinand was obliged to swear allegiance. A recrudescence of party fury soon succeeded, and France for a time, till 1827, maintained a large army in the country to ens'ure tranquility. The personal moderation of the King towards the constitutionalists led to the formation of a plot by the Absolutists to qompel him to abdicate, and to raise Don Carlos, his brother, to the throne (thence their name of Carlists). Several insurrections were set on foot by these Carlia'is, but were in the end unsuccessful, and the war was brought to an end in 18-10. Though the dvil war had thus been brought to a successful termination, Bpaiu had by 110 means been restored to d state of tranquility. Revolution succeeded revolution, and in 1808 Queen Isabella (led the country, a few uays later the revolutionary troops entering Madrid and forming a provisional .Ministry ''to lead the nation to liberty, and not allow it to perish in anarchy." The Cortes hi 18(58 declared for the monarchial form oi government. Again the Carlists woke out in insurrection, and in 1873 the Cortes declared ior a republic. Civil war continued, but the Carlists were not successful, and eventually Prince Alfonso, »ou of the late Queen, was re-called from England and proclaimed King in 1870. From the following year and until his death in 1885, Spain enjoyed a time oi peace. His wile was proclaimed regent after the birth of. her posthumous son, who is now King under the title of Alfonso j .ail. JJut Spain's troubles were not over. By the war with the United Statee in 181)8, Spain lost Cuba and all her West Indian possessions, besides th'j! ihilippine islands. Within more recent times internal strikes and risings, engineered by the Socialist* and Republicans, have not tended to the peaceful i (.'generation of the country. But with a history so chequered, can it be wondered that the people have an ingrained horror of war, and protest so emphatically against the policy of the Government ia Morocco? For the time being the Anuy has stamped out incipient rebellion, but all the elements are present for another upheaval, including the furthering of the aspirations of the Carlists to the throne.