The 

 Human 

 Harvest 



The case 

 of Spain 



[82] 



to thee, O Burgundy." Switzerland has 

 need of more such sons. It may be fancy, 

 but it seems to me that, as I go about in 

 Switzerland, I can distinguish by the char- 

 acter of the men who remain those cantons 

 who sent forth mercenary troops from those 

 who kept their own for their own upbuild- 

 ing. Perhaps for other reasons than this 

 Lucerne is weaker than Graubiinden, and 

 Unterwaldenlessvirile than little Appenzell. 

 In any event, this is absolutely certain : just 

 in proportion to its extent and thorough- 

 ness is military selection a cause of national 

 decline.' 



Spain died of empire centuries ago. She 

 has never crossed our path. It was only her 

 ghost which walked at Manila and Santiago. 

 In 1630 the Augustinian friar La Puente 

 thus wrote of the fate of Spain: "Against 

 the credit for redeemed souls I set the cost 

 of armadas and the sacrifice of soldiers and 

 friars sent to the PhiUppines. And this I 

 count the chief loss; for mines give silver, 



^ * * Lors de la guerre de Paraguay la population virile dis- 

 parut presque completement, et il ne resta que les malades 

 et les infirmes " (E. Reclus). 



