Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-13

deputy is forl What Importance is 1T
There Is no public opinion. The only fash
Ion OF imagining a better future for whole
masses of them is by anarchy; suppress
the rich. blow up palaces, churches and
public buiidings-this all their politics.
No American familiar with Spain can fail
to be struck with the explanation: 1T is
true that there are great fertile valleys.
but our people are not in the habit of living
alone in isolated farm houses" The
Basques of the north live this way and are
prosperous, but the Spanish peasant is too
proud to live anywhere but in a town. An
other thing that astonishes the American is
the absence of any middle class in Spain
All are either great people or the lowest
kind of plebeians.
Glance at any of the great secondary
cities of Spain and these two facts stand
out with wonderful significance. On the
Plaza Real and along the Gale Mayor there
Will be few decent houses with some pre-
tention to gentility, but if there are no high
government functionaries and no military
the plebeians are without chiefs. The mo-
ment one of these peasants, by some acct
dent of fortune, is able to lift himself So
cially, his first and only thought is to break
OH all relations with his relatives and
friends. His fixed idea is to push on to
Seville, Madrid, Valencia or Barcelona. He
does not wish to improve his lands, inau-
gurate new industries, and grow richer
more influential among his own people.
Ills sole ambition is to dress we'll and to
promenade the alamedas of greater city,
days out of three.
Deserted by Middle Glass.
This desertion of The middle class is so
great that there are towns of $4,000 inhsbf-
tants composed exclusively of peasants
Such is Lorca. a giant village, composed of
houses, tanneries and stables The chief
hotel is a country posada- The Gale Mayor
shows a few miserable shops that would
a French al inhabitants.
One confectionery store one cafe and one
casino sum up the attractions of Iorca.
There Is neither gas nor. electricity. In the
evening the country roads around for miles
and miles are incumbered with sweating
Spanish peasants returning from work in
their far-away fields. Think of the lost
time! And the lost labor: But 1t is not
proper for these hidaigo peasants to live on
farms. Their dignity requires a city!
There was never a mdGl. class in SPAIN
but there was something that approached
ft-from above. The monks from time I'M
memorial had been the local patrons of the
people, living on them, it g true, but Civ
ing some services in return. In 1888 the
converts were merciless!y robbed and sup
pressed by the government. To the monks
succeeded the government functoparies.
Inc monks, at least, were fixed in their
places. They had their root III the soil,
SO to speak, and they save the people
something back fer thec money They pro
vlded fetes and professions, looked after
bilious youth. Their SUCCESSORS the roy
ernment functionaries, know nothing but
the gathering in of taxes. From the lowest
forest guard to the town municipal coun-
ciiof' from the village octroi collector to
tne civil governor of the province. there
are only two thoughts 10 despise the COM
mon people and grind fees taxes and
brides out of them
Spaniard has just baar telling me- bow
IN MS province they got themselves ex
enEn'e ed from military service 1t was the
GUY OF the mayor and the town doctor 10
he I sna'e me young mer physically fit to
De sent to Cuba. Parents who ,ouId en.re
thlTty douros-about as many dolIars-to
eacn OF these precious officials were certain
VI thelr sons exemption. The trouble cama
eiiy Mheh they pursued their Industry too
TAR. Then descent was maize mon tba
paoxlhce from Madrid. with the result or
CARVING off all the young mea unon the
nnd IN me NJ and the Unfit. A.G the mayor
oIa -, oe'or would not give back a sim
CO. SIERlxiN:y rS.