The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-09
SPANS NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.
MiIitarism the Prevailing Feature Of All
Plebiscites.

MtIitsrism the Prevailing Feature OF All
Plebiscites.
Now thai the American republic ID
engaged In wal with Spain the nature
Of the government Of the peninsular
nation may be Of interest. Spain 10 .
constitutional monarchy. That II, the
Castilian kingdom 10 suppositiously
governed by a document which In this
land il Of vital Importance, but which
across the Atlantic is really of little
effect. In other words, IL Spain Is con-
trolled by a constitution IL Is merely
a relief to the absolute miiitarism
which in actually governs the whole
state. Fol- several centuries the Ro-
man Catholic church has been the Of
fetal church Of the state. But in the
last half century Catholicism has re-
ceived q setback which it has not yet
recovered from.
Spain is divided into 81 dioceses. over
each of which a bishop rules for the
church and is supported by the state.
T~hirty-six thousand priests, 1854
monks and 1882 nuns carry on the re-
ligious work of the nation. there being
only bout 1000 Protestants in a popu-
lation of 1885, 32. By DEGREES of the
cortes passed in July, 1885. and March,
1886. the great monasteries and con-
vents throughout Spain were sup
4tt1 nc PtoR.
by the state. Those which remain are
specially licensed.
The present constitution dates from
June 30. 1876, when the republic was
finally suppressed and the B~ourbons
returned to power in the person of AL
phonso XII, the son of ex-Queen lsa-
bella. who still lives In Paris on a fat
government allowance.
Two houses Of equal authority COM
nnSn the enrfoQ-thp Sanafp and the
congress. There are three kinds of
senators-those who are by their
right" senators are sons of h king
and of the heir to throne who have at
tanned their majority; hereditary
grandees who have an income Of 81, 1000
a year: captains general of the army,
admirals of the navy, the patriarch of
the Indies. presidents of the council
of state. of the supreme tribunal n
of other courts. A few senators are
elective.
The congress is composed of depu-
ties elected i'm the proportion of n to
so. 200 of population and serve hve
years. They cannot take state office
or receive salaries or pensions, but the
ministers who are ex officio
are exempted from these provisions.
The monarch is empowered to con-
woke, suspend or dissolve the cortes.
The president and vice president of the
senate are appointed by him from
among the members. The deputies
choose the officers OF their branch.
Laws may be initiated in either
house with the concurrence Of the
reigning monarch. and the deputies
may impeach ministers OF the crown
before the senate.
An extensive system OF local n
municipal government exists through
o,tt Snnin and the ~nrnVinceS are well
or badly governed according to the
character of the men who control
them. Pressure of the central govern
ment is always felt in elections, the
military usually taking charge of the
polls.
Spain's total area Is about 9 1870
square miles. Its population consists
of S.6l2. 524 males and 1888. los females.
The occupations of the Spanish people
are thus given in the leading statisti-
cal publication of the country:
Agricultural, 1854. 742; mining and
manufacturing. 243.S67; commercial,
1874. $50; arts M trades, S23,310; domes-
tic servants, 409. $40; merchant marine,
lis, 1854; legal, medical. etc.. S4,510; pub
lie employees, s1,257: asylum inmates
81, ee6: religious ~(Catholic). 72.077; pri-
waite n railway employees, 1865:
teachers and professors, 1885,; leisure
oog y ~
ETC., II, 44s: pupils in schools and col
leges, 1,7ls,ss5; occupations not given.
s,72s, 519.
In 1880 there were 90, 1872 public n
$3.50 private schools in Spain. The
number has since been diminished.
The expenses of the Spanish govern
ment nave been considerably more
than the for a long period.
Official estimates for ls97-1s9s. in which
the sources of revenue are exaggerated
and the current expenses minimized.
show a deficit for this period alone OF
81 .Ss2,5IS. According to the official hg-
ures for last year SPANS public debt
Is as follows:
Consolidated debt ..........$ s1s. S35, 900
Redeemable debt ........... S31. l25. 900
Treasury and floating debt. 1sl. z7o.o 600
lotui ........
The interest account of $S3, S4s.I40 .
large part OF which remains unpaid,
includes an item OF sl9, Ola. 200 on cred
II operations for the year In Cuba.
SPANS financial condition AN be
clearly appreciated when IL IL under
stood that her treasury In empty and
all exhausted and mortgaged
for years to come.
With her comparatively small popu-
lation, her colonies falling away from
her and disorder lurking all about her
at home. her condition 10 really des-
perate.-Chicago Chronicle.