The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-09
wOMANHoOD IN SPAIN.
The Rich Lead AimIess Lives and
the Poor Are Very Degraded.


the Poor Are Very Degraded.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer
The womanhood of nation is a rehec-
ton Of the general character of that ma
ton. Spain is no exception to this rule.
So much has been written in the past
of the lovely women of Spain, so much
of romance and poetry and art has been
brought to bear upon the subject, that few
are aware of the truth-cold, naked and
grewsome-that is yet to be revealed con-
corning these sisters of ours who dwell
in a land made charming by the glamor
of mediaem pageantry, but really land
of darkness and degradation when com
pred with countries Of the more civilized.
more truly Christian world. Spanish
character is rapidly disclosing itself to
the public, and this will naturally bring
the women of Spain nearer to our view.
1t is impossible that the women of a na-
ton can be very different from the men.
We of America are prone to look upon
the condition of women as a serious sub
ject and il is now possible that the wo-
men of Spain may soon come within the
scope of our interest. as among the classes
of earthfs people who need enlightenment
quite as much as do the women of Turkey
or China. Let us look at some facts re-
Gently published from official reports. OF
the total number OF women in Spain. near
ly 100000 are utterly illiterate. These
women can not read or write. and have
no desire 10 learn. In the cities of the
country are over $4,000 registered pro-
fessional beggars of the adult female
class.
These women are beggars by training
and choice. Beggary is their trade, and
they wish no other. In the rural districts
are nearly 100000 women who work as
farm laborers, tilling the soil as men do
here, or more as peasants in European
countries do. for the American farmer is
a very different kind of an agriculurst
from the peasant famer of the continent
Three hundred and Fifty thousand women
earn their bread as registered day ser
wants." that is TO say they work for their
food and lodging. We have no such class
here and it is to be hoped that we may
never have.
The total school girl population in Spain
is only 10000, including all kinds of
schools. and it is lutte education that they
get at that. Six million seven hundred
thousand women have no occupations or
means of support. and are wholly depen-
dent on charity, luck in getting married
or possible chance work. Contrasted with
these women is small class of fortunate
ores who happen TO be rich, and who
spend their time as ladies of fashion, lead
ing incident, aimless lives. and caring
nothing at all for their hapless sisters,
whom they look upon as beneath thought.
These women are not of a high type in
telectually, are educated chiefly in the art
of embroidery and Irritation, and are most
eager of all the people for the bloody
spectacle of the bun ring, which they
never foil to attend
Al the exhibitions they are said to dis
play more cruelty than the men, and to
show a greater liking for blood and suffer-
ing They certainly are not a class of wo-
men who are likely to lead other women
forward TO better things. Marriage with
them takes place In early life, and, if it
does not happen TO suit, they simply sep
arate from their husbands and do as they
please. They love their queen devotedly.
adore their pretty clothes and care little
for aught else. Such, in brief is the gen.
eral status of womanhood in Spain to-day.
In the motherhood of a people lies the flu
ture of its sons. These are the Spanish
mothers.