The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-23
REVOLT PREDICTED IN SPAIN.
ATTACKS ON THE MONARCHY
NOW MADE IN THE OPEN.
Republican Party Gains New Followers
and starts an Aggressive Campaign
Discomfort spreading Among Work.
ink Classes and the Army and Navy.

long, closely reasoned article from Madr i'd
discussing the political situation and the
army Of Spain, from which it is evident
that the writer expects revolution In that
country at no very distant date.
It must he admitted that tho actual events
and conditions described in this letter
Justify the most serious apprehension.
All classes Of the people, peasants, bour-
geoisie and artisans, have lost respect for
the Government, and owing to variety OF
causes, notably the failure Of tho most
recent speculations, are suffering from eX-
IRENE economic depression.
The Republican party, taking advantage
Of the spirit OF discomfort which ia pervading
the civil, military and naval classes, has
drawn them into it's movement, and the
correspondent states that showing audacity
with which in modern Europe there is moth
ing to compare the forces of the revolution,
from Bilbao to Jerez and from Cadiz to
Barcelona. are forming up in the open.
Even Madrid Ia becoming citadel OF the
revolutionary propaganda and intrigue.
The Spanish Socialist party, which has
heretofore been bitter enemy Of the Re-
publican party has at a general assembly
in the coming elections.
The republican spirit may be judged
from the tone OF circular sent on Aug. 2
throughout the county by Senior Salmeron,
the head of the Republican party. II
calls on his partisans 10 organize meetings
"to oriticise, censure and attack the mon
archioa regime for showing its incompati-
bility with the national spirit and the crav-
ing for Justice" Moreover" the circu-
lar continues, -let the causes of our great
national misfortunes be bitterly empha-
sized" The circular says that while the
party has profound love for the father
land, it feels for the army and navy, which
il flesh of its flesh, over whose prestige
the monarchy neither can nor will stand
guard.
For the third time an attempt to inaugu-
rate general strike has failed, but the
progress Of the organization of unions
is considerable. A crisis in the house
building trade alone has thrown more
than 10000 workmen into the streets of
Madrid.
The agitation in favor Of general strike
was merely the result of the economic
crisis which is general throughout Spain.
In the years 1899 1900 the industrial de-
veopment in the country was eXtraor-
binary. Companies representing S0O,0OO,-
600 pesetas were formed. and there was a
general boom in business, but now the
crash has come. The sugar refineries are
maneuvring to form a trust. Financial
failures at Bilbao have been followed by
those in Santander, the Asturias, northern
Galicia and Andalusia. Meanwhile the
poorer classes are paying burdensome
taxes and the discomfort is spreading
One example will show how from time to
time it is given vent At Alcalla del Vale,
In the Province of Cadiz. the peasants met
to discuss the question OF a strike. The
gendarmes who appeared, and whose
commander ordered the meeting to dis
solve, were received with a volley of stones.
the women particularly distinguishing
themselves in the attack, The peasants
then fired on the gendarmes, and one Of
the latter was killed They descended In
bands to the town, broke open the doors
OF houses and shops, carried off all weapons
they could find, sacked private houses and
the town hall. and to cries of Death TO
tyrantsl" burned in the public square the
archives of the municipality.
After a period of singular apathy and
the presence of what the writer of the article
describes as almost revolutionary agitation,
the Villaverde Government suddenly, at
the beginning of August, adopted policy
OF violent repression. Republican meet
ings have been dissolved and authorization
for others refused. dozen newspapers
hnU oil L.,
visible result. Indeed, one organ, which is
friendly to the present Cabinet warns the
Government that its sudden outburst Of
energy to prevent at all costs the Repub-
lican propaganda iy not only impolitic but
illegal al present. Moreover, the principle
Of authority which is being upheld at this
late day by the Government meets with
less and less support from its natural SYM
pathizers, namely, the upper grade officers
Of the army and navy.
"One hundred thousand angmc SOL
diers." says the writer, fresh from honors
In Philippine and Cuban warfare and still
unpaid are now dragging out a miserable
existence in the large towns. spreading
amid the lower classes who are already
living from hand to mouth, a discomfort
and indignation of the wounded amour
propre of the officers Grated upon the
chargrin and discomfort which has been
prevailing in the army and navy since the
American var there is now a new grievance.
The army and navy consider themselves
neglected. Senior Nillaverde, whose one
idea is financial retrenchment, has hereto
fore not shown the slightest sense of the
existence of this feeling, while the Republi-
cans are clearly alive to it, as they under
stand that now that the colonies are closed
to military activity another field must be
discovered for IT, Indeed, the army's only
champions are the Republicans
Vice-Admiral Cervera, who commanded
the Spanish feet at Santiago, and who is
the head Of the navy general staff, has al
ready offered his resignation. Gen. Martit-
tegui, the Minister of War. may at any
moment, in consequence of the policy of
Senior Villaverde, also leave the Cabinet
The army, in short, is deprived OF what il
considers its rightful place in the Spanish
Constitution and intends to claim its due,
threatening to take it forcibly if necessary
The real sentiment Of the army was
recently openly voiced by La Correspon-
dencid MiRtur. II is one of the ablest
newspapers in Spain, and when it declares
In leading article that 1T is at times nee
essary and preferable to employ the force
Of force rather than the force OF reason"
and outdoes Senior Salmeron in vir1Ilence
~, LD