The morning call., 1893-01-04
NEW GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN.

The situation in Spain illustrates the diff
e-alty of establishing representative gov
erDment in a country whose people have
not been educated TO manage their own
affairs There is a Cortes in Spain; there
has been one for 500 years; but 1t is almost
as unfamiliar with Parliamentary practice
as it was when its power was limited to
presenting petitions to Charles or Philip
H. A few years ago 1t was discovered that
the city of Madrid had been shamefuly
robbed by municipal officials. The Mayor
fed Public men instead of insisting on the
arrest and trial Of the boodlers fell foul
OF the National Ministry. which was as If
it had been proposed 10 impeach President
Harrison in consequence of Buekley's
thefts. The Prime Minister, Canovas, who
is the head of the Spanish Conservatives,
was called TO account. A vote of want OF
confidence in his administration was moved
by member of his own party. The oppo-
silion party-the Libersls-from motives of
delicacy declined to vote. A majority OF
Conservatives voted against their own
leader, and Canovas resigned. When he
went out he advised Regent Christina TO
call to the helm the Liberal leader, Senior
Sagasta, who has frequently held Office be-
fore. The latter accordingly became
Premier, and according to the dispatches
the anarchists propose TO make ii lively for
him with dynamite
The history of Spain during the nine
tenth century demonstrates how difficult it
is to eradicate political evils which have
been allowed to take root. After the battle
of NittOria, when the French were expelled
from Spanish soil. and again. after King
Ferdinand had been coerced into abandon
ing his Bourbon theories of goyernment. the
Spanish people were undisputed masters of
Spain and had il in their power to estab-
lish a solid popular government, either
under the name of a republic or of a mon
aTchy. But they eonld not. COrtes after
coTtes proved a mere nest Of corrupt in
uiguers who were incapable Of administer
ing the affairs Of the nation. When man
arose like EspaiterO, who knew enough to
rule and had the nerve to crush c0nspiraeies
and punish pecnlation. Count Camarillas
upset him. Narvaez, who was perhaps the
most skillful administrator the country has
had during this century, was oveTthrown
and reinstated at periodical intervals. The
republic, though it had CASTELAR, at its
head, and such men as Serrano behind Il,
collapsed after few months exercise of
power. The only government which seemed
to possess the element Of stability was the
most despiSed government the country ever
habitat of Isabella.
This is the harvest of three centuries of
popular inciyism. First Of all the European
nations the Spaniards began to govern
themselves Free representative govern
ment was in full yigor in Arag long be-
fore 1t was planted in England, and all
through Northern Spain the kings admitted
that they derived their rights from the pop
uiar VIII at a time when in every other
European monarchy the monarch claimed
10 rule by the grace Of God But steady
course of uSurpation by the kings, and OF
enforced submission by their subjects, pur-
sued for century after century. gradually
HnaccustOmed the people from exercising
control over their own affairs and finally
unified them for self-government. The re-
self is before us in the helpless foundering
of he Spaniards in their struggle for liberty
combined with order
In time, Of course, they will learn. But
the evolution of the science of government
is slow. Il takes generations TO Undue
people with the self-eOntrol and self-reli-
anee which are the first conditions of stable
Self-government AT time when the people
Of New England were thoroughly familiar
with the art of conducting their public af-
fairs, having been educated to the business
by their tOwn-meeting system, and by the
use Of provincial assemblies. the Spani ards
had lost all capacity TO manage their affairs,
and the desire had died out with the capac-
ity. They accepted the domination Of the
throne as a release from duties which
they felt they were incapable of fulfilling.
The revolutionary outbreak at the close of
the eighteenth century spread over Spain
and quickened its life. But disuse had par
alyzed the political muscle of the people,
and it could only struggle francticaly and
eOnvnlsively without intelligent purpose.
We see the working Of the struggles in the
Spanish countries which lie south of US.