Evening star., 1898-07-23
The Lower CIases FeelNo Interest
in Foreign Troubles.
CHANCE FOR THE CARLIsTs

the Spanish commune. A few hours III
Madrid were amply sufficient to prove that
the state of things had been vastly exag-
gerared and that the bulk of the popuia-
tfon took little interest in the war with
America. which they regarded merely
an extension or continuation of the colonial
troubles which have plagued Spain and its
exchequer for years, and of which they
had throughout been so ill-informed that
they had but little idea of their true grav-
lily.
During the past six weeks excursions into
the Spanish provinces in the leading IN
GuStriAl and agricultural CenterS have re-
Tcaled almost precisely the same indiffer-
ence to the war as is felt in the capital.
That the Spanish newspapers do all in
their power to discourage this indifference
Is natural enough. and il may even be the
case that many of the writers do cOnscien-
tiously believe that their own sentiments
Of alternate enthusiasm and despair are
shared by their readers. They endeavor to
impress upon the stranger their theory that
he cannot possibly estimate the amount of
feeling about the war by the mere behavior
of the Spaniarls whom he encounters and
20 whom he talks. They desire you to believe
that they are not the demOnstratiye people
that you perhaps think they are.
To some slight extent this may be true
enough. But it seems quite clear that the
Spaniard does not allow his private opin-
ions about the suicidal folly of the war to
interfere with his behavior in public
Classes in Spain.
Roughly speaking, the population of Spain
may be divided into the usual three classes,
but the middle classes can hardly be said
10 exist save in the more important towns
The lower classes. a large proportion of
whom in the country districts is unable to
read or write and whose knowledge of his
tory and gsograph is confined to a few
superstitious legends. could hardly be ex-
peCted 10 follow at all closely the fortunes
of their country al the present time. Indi-
Nlduaily they are kindly, simple folk, but
If you talk to them about the troubles of
their fatherland they are at loss to know
what You mean and appear to think you
are attempting some silly joke. Possibly
the prices OF their small luxuries such as
Oil. tobacco. etc, have gone up somewhat
OF late, but they have been used TO that
sort Of thing for generations
The peasantry, whose devotion to their
absentee landlords reminds one of feudaI
times. are just now employed in harvesting
crops OF unusual excellence and are in no
mood to worry about troubles abroad of
Whlch they have heard little and under
stand nothing. Moreover. the Catholic
church has an influence over them which is
almost mediaeyal-an influence which ex-
tends to an almost equal extent over the
poor working population of the town.
View OF the Church.
The view of the church at the present
find them easily enough in pamphlets cal
culated TO appeal even to many of the
weN-educated, who still trust implicitly 10
It's voice. Here is a quotation from a very
recent June. 1899 brochure entitled Re
Agion and the War" and issued not with
out authority l give the closing words lit
orally translated:
If We triumph We shall tr,,,rn,b r,;4b
justice on our side; if they beat us, we
snail raise our eyes to God and we shall
say IN the beautiful legendary phrase,
W hat does it matter?"
1heSe comforting words, "Oue irnnnrta
II only We do our duty?" may not be liter.
any accurate. save in their spiritual sig
hlIhcahce, but they are well adapted to the
balA OF the Spanish population who in
their private life are curiousIv fataIis,in
!" men domestic disasters occur or tho
Dread-earnIng son is demanded by his
TIoulFy Ior military service there Is no
long grumbling. Que importa n fs tho
Will OF Cod" provides cousolat lion IN ynany
a poor soul who does not know which va
10 look for the future way
srafr la1ition. IL @ the poorer population of
matters That they Will pawn their biart
e. loy which Is implied their last posses
son sen IN the world in order to go to The
80 tlt Is tne popular and not altogether
seeid'e1 Iuea OF their recklessness
The Wealthy People.
1t IS needless to say that the wealthy mon
N--S ~DSS4ilct 4dNulOr15 no form
the aristocracy of Madrid, though devont
catholics almost TO man, have scarcaIv
so simple faith as have their uneducated
interiors. Que importa? indeed. They hava
lheir family position and honor IN cop-
slider. In bad times, when ,en-s arc ecaroo
or markets are low, there are many nh,
~ - sa4d. MAINTAIN their SNOWY establisb
-4tei-'s S III hadrld, and go for daily promen-
-teS,.t - :. tner two-horsed broughams. even
s+or Is tHefeDy necessary for them to
seaIEe thelr retinue, and possibly them
sSI'es. ID the necessaries of life Rut nm
re Inc poor, they are continually yrIrn-
ol.hg. ana are inclined to attribute their
pscuniary cifculties to the government To
ei' extent which Is scarcely fair. And yvhfIa
Cley Jay stress upon their losses due to the
"9E' you can learn nothing about the gains
~. "t--oI many OF The large producers for for
e-sn markets must now be realizing ovinp
10 the fall in the exchange 9
II is even asserted that the sreat da6
c3ehcy OF silver III Spain. and the almost en-
tFe disappearance of the gold coinaga is
In large measure due To rba syistao..t -
themselves. who have for years psst hen
laylhs up private stores of bullion Dasnj+a
Ine pLlde which has hitherto prevented
SPAIN from issuing the bank not es for sr,,au
amounts. which are customarx In 1ta,. a-.,.H .1e.i
Greece, It's monetary system il infinttsiv
mere troublesome than il is In these co,,n.
tres. Inc smallest note is Of twentv-fiys
pesetas. worth at the present tirna u,,,e
more than half a sovereign Enpiish &c 90.
III. W.
lng. however, TO the scarcity of silver n is
oIten dlttlcult or impossible to get these
t~ehty-hYe pesetas notes changed AL
tnousn they are freely taken in payment
a. railWay stations. for example If vour
Iare Is n1ty-one pesetas you can nav it
essliy enough, but II it be only forty-nina
pesetas. you must be provided with al least
t"enty-four pesetas in silver. unless yo,,
are prepared TO sacrifice your change Al
d4oraitar Spanish notes ars now only ac-
cepted at q reduction of 10 per cent of their
iAce value in pesetas. and there is no any
aely 10 take them at even this reduction
Hard Hit by the War.
It is no doubt the middle classes of Snair
who have been most hardly hit by the war
And among the middle classes one must in
ciude, besides the ordinary shopkeepers tba
wealthy manufacturers of Barcelona and
elsewhere For these Industrious folk have
no wish to be reckoned among the aris
tocracy. although the latter may include
pank clerks at Madrid. who keep up their
proud position on a salary which does not
amount per annum to go of our money
1hat the manufacturers have lost a large
snare OF their foreign trade is true enough
but, on the other hand, they have gained
an amount OF home trade which has never
before come their way. The Spanish mer-
chants and dealers can no longer afford To
buy their goods outside Spain. now that