New-York tribune., 1868-12-18
THE AGONY or SPAIN.

lections, we submit that the political question
| is at present of secondary Importance. Whether
| the Government of Spain shall be democratic,
republican, oligarchical, or monarchlcal, Is not
| of primo moment We do not agree with the
opinion SO dogmntcally expressed by Mr.
Buckle in his well-known chapter on Spain,
that political forms exercise no deep influence
over national life; nor are wo prepared to adj
nit that "no country in the world is so little
affected by extraordinary transitions OF It's
government rs Spain" We believe that
the miserable plight Spain is in may be traced
directly, and in no inconsiderable measure, to
the fatal traditions Of its rule. But no gov
eTnment that Spain can reasonably expect at
this time would materially injure her; for any
rule will discard those same fatal traditions.
Even a monarchy, without national consti-
| tuition or national representation, might not
prove noxious to Spain, if it encouraged her
industry, emancipated her commerce, ana I'D
Grated the intelligence of the people from the
priestly and dOgmatic thralldom III which they
have for centuries been held. Poor Spain
needs almost every kind of recuperatiye power,
almost every kind of ciyilzing agency
She needs middle class, composed OF mer-
journalists, proprietors in land and real estate
"a class intelligent, active, capable, RESPONSE
bic, directly engaged in promoting industry,
accumulatng wealth, improving social arrange
mcnts, mending laws and customs, founding
nstitutions-a class conservative by reason OF
| its property interests, and progressive through
| its desire of social elevation, independent IN
means and character, united by community OF
employments, standing and working together
with strong but underlined esprit du corps
Such class has no existence there in proper
ton to the population. Spain needs system
of popular education Of purely unsectaran
description, to make the people aware that
| they have minds TO be cultivated, and to put
them in possession If their working intelli-
gence The curse of Spain has been ignorance
! Ignorance fostered by Government, pre-
scribed by institutions The mind OF the
country slumbered under the cOycrlet OF the
Church.
Without these two things, n Middle Glass
and Popular Education, there is no permanent
basis of prosperity for any government, monar-
chical or republican. But sorer need than
either of these, just now-an immediate, press
ing needs freedom of industry and COM
mcrce. Spain must be put in communication
with the rest of the civilized world and this
can be done only by the repeal of laws which
have kept her shut up in strict and peculiar
isolation not for the purpose OF developing
her material resources, but with simple intent
10 keep her faithful To the Roman Church, Mt
any cost TO her material ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. The
ingenuity and complexty of these laws cannot
be fully explained in these limits. In fact
they are known TO mainly through the
recent discussions about them, and the efforts
now making TO remodel them. The serious
making Of these efforts by n man ot so
much ability and eaIncstneSs as Senior
Figucrola is reputcd to be, Is one OF the
most encouraging signs of progress IN SPAN.
Sefior Figucrola the chief of the Department
of Finance. proposes the abolition of all differ
ence between Spanish and 70 cgn vessels
whatever merchandise they transport; an al-
! teration of the navigation laws, admitting
| foreign vessels into the Spanish dominions, re-
ducing port duties, authorizing the enlistment
of foreign scamen by Spanish shpmasters. al
lowing the sale and mortgage of Spanish ships
abroad. and in general the adaptation OF Span
| ish maritime policy to that now in force among
| other nations of the earth. The 0d-fash0ned
Conservatives will protest against these innova-
tions. and will cast all sorts of obstacles i'll the
bold Reformers' path; but the instinct of self
preservation is now aroused, the influence of
the outside world is beginning to tell the
spirit of true enterprise is already making
its mark, and there can hardly DO doubt
! that the liberal policy in trade will prevail. II
il does, the energies of the whole peninsula
will be quickened by new impulse.
! The present aspect of things is certainly dis
couraging. As if the difficulties inevitably
| incident to the situation were not enough.
short crops an apprehcndcd famine, prospec-
tive suffering and distress, are saddening, ex-
| citing, terrifying all classes of the population.
| The poor are crying, the rich are running away;
an unsettled condition. is threatening to become
pcrilous condition; industrial, social. and polltl-
| cal problems are getting fcarfully mixed up toge
ther, and even wise men entertain gloomy fore
bodngs. But the Spaniards arc brave people,
schooled in patience aad gifted with n certain
grave persistency of temper that may carry
them well through dangers AS cruel
"A theirs. They increase in numbers
though very slowly as compared with other
communities. They make progress IN trade,
both imports and exports having more than
| doubled in the last ten years The revenue OF
the country was computed to be something like
five millions more in 1867 than it was in 1865
this in the face of every sort of malign, dis
abling nnuence2 Spain must advance, under
| whatever now regime may come IN to supplant
the old one How fast will she advance, Is the
question The answer to it will depend In some
degree. of course, on the form OF the govern
ment established but it will depend moro on