New-York tribune., 1896-09-27


and the unblemished conduct of the Regent
the first Of Spans Queens whose fair name has
been free from all reproach-it is impossible to
attribute to anything else than misgovernment
Of the worst kind the difficulties in which Spain
is at the present moment involved. Christina
has done ELL in her power to purify
the administration and to purge it Of that
dishonesty corruption and incompetence with
which every branch of it Is corroded
But the task is hopeless one and all that she
has achieved is to weaken her hold upon the
country. For her efforts TO institute reforms
have not produced sufficient results to satisfy
the people at large. while they have merely
served to fill with discomfort and animosity
toward the throne all that vast horde OF func-
tionaries. civil. military and naval. who are
happy only when they permitted to thieve
unrestrained and who may be said to consti-
tute the curse of Spain.
So potent indeed, these officials who con-
troll the entire administration of the country
and who by means of political machines. have
IN their hands the power of returning whom
they like at the polls that Conservative and
Liberal Cabinets alike have been compelled to
treat them upon a footing of equality. and pub
lcly 10 tolerate the most garing abuses and out
and-out robberies Of the unfortunate taxpayers
II is to this corrupt and selfish officialdom that
the insurrection in Cuba is attributable, well
as the rising in the Philippine Islands. now as
suming large proportions. which II is ridiculous
Of the Madrid Government to belitte. 1t is 10
this same that must be ascribed the re-
publican agitation in the southeast of the PENN
suia and also the recrudescence of Carlism in
the northern and western portions of the King
DOM
Carsm is at the present moment the principal
tLo@t &c L
phonso. It is a greater peril than the
Cuban rebellion the Philippine revolt For
Carsm is part and parcel Of the creed Of all that
portion Of the people in Spain who subject to
the influence of parish clergy The lower classes
Of the latter almost without exception
ardent adherents of Don Carlos. who have hith-
erto been kept in check partly by their Bishops
acting under directions from the Vatican. and
partly. too by Don Carlos himself who. being
now very rich and IL may he added incidentally
very lazy. has taste for heading campaign
that would entail the expenditure Of a large
amount Of his money. and involve a tremendous
amount Of physical discomfort and exertion. be-
sides bringing him into bad odor with the Court
Of Vienna, where he s particularly anxious to
stand well. The present movement is. however
Independent Of his Will. Nay, 1t is even proba BILE
that he has discountenanced it impolitic un-
timely and unpatrotc. No heed. however. is
being paid to his views about the matter and
when the insurrection is in full swing and his ad-
herents already in the field. marching under his
banner. he will not be able to do otherwise than
TO assume the leadership as he has done on pre-
vious occasions, or else to abandon his preten-
sions definitely to his son. Don Jaime.
II must be confessed that on no previous occa-
sion has Carlist insurrection begun with so
many prospects Of success as at the present mo-
nent The masses are ground down by taxation
% an extent without precedent in the annals of
Spain, one tax being imposed after another in
rapid succession, while If any are abolished
double the number of new ones certain to be
enacted in their stead. Trade. industry and
even agriculture are at a standstill this
,ount. On the top of this. every family is called
upon to contribute its to Join the armies
either In Cuba or in the Philippine Islands. with
the assurance that In the latter place they will
become ready prey for those deadly creeses Of
the savage Malays and Chinese who constitute
nine -tenths of the population of the islands,
while in Cuba, If they escape the machete OF the
insurgents, they are certain 10 be overtaken by
one Of those numerous diseases that are literally
1ecimating Captain General Weyler's forces.
1t is easy 10 see how the village clergy. who
nave their focks thoroughly under spiritual con-
troll. can take advantage Of the situation Great
snmosty against the so-called foreign Govern
ment OF the Austrian Queen Regent and to
point out how different things would be II only
Don Carlos the rightfu king. ware to recover
his throne. The priests are entirely beyond the
control OF their episcopal superors. just In the
same way as in the heyday of the Nationalist
movement in Ireland the parish clergy con-
stituted the backbone Of the agitation against
the Government. thoroughly indifferent TO the
sdmoniton OF their bishops. and even to the
commands OF the Vatican. In Spain, as in Ire
land the priest sees in an overthrow Of the ex-
isting order OF things an increase Of power Of
affuencs and OF prestige for himself and for
the church to which he belongs. This s par
tcularly the In Spain, where not only the
Liberal Cabinets. but even the Conservative ad-
ministrations who have held office since the ac
cession 10 the throne Of old Queen Isabella H. In
lS33, have shorn the clergy OF many Of its most
cherished and highly priced attributes and
p-erogatives. Don Carlos and his son promise
70 restore all these
TO what extent the priesthood will gain In
power by the advent of Carlist dynasty VIII
ne seen from a couple OF DEGREES Issued by Don
Carics during the last insurrection, which he
mas announced his intention OF enforcing II he
s'er obtains possession of the throne The one