Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-12
THE MONAS|'I|C ORDERS
Their Number and Great
Wealth in Spain.
1NFLUENcE$;:' PEOPLE
HAVE PRE- 4.NTED UCCESS OF
TIE CARLIsT MOVEMENT.
Opposition to the Rapid Growth of This
Highly Privileged Class-Some
Interesting Statistics.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.

widespread dissatisfaction among the peo-
pie with the rap id increase of the numbers
and the wealth of the monastc orders No
where do they flourish as in Spain No
where are they so wealthy and influential,
and during the last sixteen years, under
| the regency of Queen Christina, they have
b scome more tnan ever privileged class.
/ This Is due to two reasons: First, her piety
and devotion to the Roman church and her
desire to do everything within her power,
even at the sacrifice Of the interests of her
| subjects to promote its welfare and pros
perity: and, secondly. the pressure that has
| been brought constantly to bear upon the
government by the papal nuncio at Madrid,
| the cardinal archbishop and other members
| of the hierarchy in connection with the
| CarliSt conspiratorS. The Church of Rome
has held the present dynasty of Spain in its
hand, and but for the Intervention and the
influence of the pope and Cardinal Ram
pOlla there would have been perpetual war
and revolution. They, through the parish
priests throughout the kingdom, have been
able to suppress the Carlsts and preserve
peace. But, a price for this service the
monks and nuns and the church generally
| have received exemptions and concessions
year after year, until they now enjoy more
extended privileges than were granted them
| even in the time Of Philip II.
What the Carlists Are.
| 1t may be proper to explain here what the
| Carlists are. When Fernando VII, died in
| 1884 his younger brother, Don Carlos
I'claimed the throne. but his pretensions
were denied to the cortes, and Isabella H.
| although only three years of age, was
placed upon the throne. This was done by
| the repeal of what is known as the SaIic
| law, which provided that men ONLY should
/ De permitted to rule In Snaip to
| necessary to give the arguments or the
| reasons or detail the events that occurred
at that time. By the repeal Of the Salic
| law 1t was possible to place a woman upon
| the throne, and Don Carlos and his branch
| OF the royal family have been protesting
| ever since. There has been almost contfnu-
| Gus warfare between the two branches of
! the family until the recent regency when
| the pope interviewed, compelled Don Carlos
TO Withdraw from Spain, and through the
influence of the parish priests suppressed
the movement in his favor. Don Carlos the
son of the original pretender is now living
| III venice, where he maintains a miniature
court. and bis son and heir on Jaime ia
an off1cef in the Russian army. He served
with distinction in the attack on Tien Tsin
ana during other engagements over there
three years ago. He Is now with bte ropi
ment in Manchuria. Ry 10
81 reasons which 1t is unnecessary to ex-
pam at length the parish priests through
out all Spain and the members of the 3if
ferent monastic orders almost 11niverssIIy
sympathize with the pretender Nearly ev
cry cry monastery and convent during he revo-
iutlons was Carlisr headquarters. and the
iedderS or the movement could ALWAYS de-
pend upon the sympathy and usualIv unon
the encouragement of the village cures or
priests, Just as during our civil war in the
states me northern army could always de-
penn upon the negro. But when the papaI
hunclo and the primate of Spain who is the
cardinal archbishop of Toledo issued their
the entire support of the clergy
was Withdrawn and the Carlist movement
coildpSeu. The same authority could be ex-
efted with similar effect at any time in tho
other ufectlon. If the old archbishop of
loiedo were to turn the parish priests
loose and permit them to follow their own
lncilnations tine cause of the nretendar
would revive again and Dresept noIitiooI
CONDITIONS in Spain would make it very
doubtful whether the throne would survive
Extent of the Catholic Hierarchy.
According to the official statistics there
are more than 43,0Oe parish priests. nine
archbishops and forty-three bishops In
opala' which is an average of about one
10 400 OF the population Under concordat
or treaty with the holy see their salaries
are paiu py the Spanish government. The
contribution of the government to the sup
port of the church is about S7oOOOOO a
year. rms includes subsidies to hospitals,
asyiuills poorhouSeS, schools and other
charitable, reformatory and educa tional in
situations, which in Spain are almost ex-
ciusively, and one might say entirely, under
the control of the ecclesiastical authorities.
IL may be said also that so far as the chart-
table institutions are concerned they could
not be under better management The
SCHOOLS, however, are scarcely worthy of a
great nation. They are the worst that can
| be found in any civilized country as bad
| as IN turkey, where there are no schools al
| all, Tor the policy of the church is to re-
press popular education and keep the peo-
I iunn n,,t.
| ulation of 19OO0OO) more than 600 GOO are
| absolutely 1lliterate, never having attended
| school, and more than IL coo 600 cannot do
more than write their own names
| Enormous salaries are paid to the bishops
| ana other hlgher ecclesiastics, but the ordi-
| nary parish priest the man who lives
among the people, receives starvation
! wages. The avera ge COMPENSATION of the
| cures is less than $500 year which means
| that the great majority of them do not re-
| ceiVe that amount for it takes the salaries
OF many to equal one of The large sums
| PAID to the popular preachers and the Gu
| rates with political influence in Madrid and
\ other cities.
The Spanish Priesthood.
The character and the ability of the Span
ish priesthood may be Judged from these
facts. They are poor. ignorant. bigoted and
| often degraded. The majority of them, how
| ever. are devoted to their vocation, earnest
| IN their efforts to save souls, and jealous
| to promote the interests, of the church they
| serve Ihey are necessarily limited in their
intelligence and knowledge; they are re-
| strlcted to the narrowest spheres of life;
| few of. them know monelt than is necessary to
| perform their daily duties. although they
are always little IN advance of their par
| ishioners. for wherever you go in Spain the
padre Is the first citizen of his parish. He Is
| the ADVISOR of his Pensioners in temporal
| as well as spiritual affairs; he knows the
| secrets OF their inmost soul. and his inf1u-
| ence over them is almost unlimited. He is
with them in all their. sorrows and would
share their prosperity II such a thing could
ever happen. He IS their father indeed
He baptizes them. MARBLES them and buries
| them. In no other country have the clergy
| so close. relation to family life and SO
thorough knowledge OF personal affairs
as in Spain. You may, therefore, judge of
the influence they can exert when it is ex-
! pedient for them to do So for they not only
| hold dominion over the bodies OF their par
1shioners In this world. but over their souls
| in the next. Through the confessional the
power to impose penance and to grant alb
solution, the authority to excommunicate
apd withhold the holy sacrament. and to
pronounce the curse of the church, they
exercise dictatorship which cannot be un-