Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1906-10-20
CHURCH CONFLICT
NOW ON IN SPAIN
SPANISH coRTEs WAS FORMAL
LY OPENED ToDAY.-WlLL AT
TRACT MUCH ATTENTION.
Special to the Herald.

Special to the Herald.
Madrid. Oct. 20.-It is safe to asser
that no session of the Spanish Corte
in recent years has attracted the at
tention that will center in the DELHI
erations and actions of the session
that was formally opened today Thi:
is because of the conflict between the
Vatican and the Liberal Government
which will be brought to a focus al
the present session. While the actual
question of separation of church and
state is not to be Immediately raised
as in France, the democratic program
of the Liberals is distinctly anti-cler-
ical and if it progresses successfully
is sure ultimately to lead to an open
fight for the severance of the ties
which bind the Vatican and SPAN.
heretofore and now the stronghold of
Catholicism.
The points at issue between the
Vatican and the Spanish government
are the control of the cemeteries, civil
marriages, public education, and the
big question of the religious congrega-
tions not included in the concordat
of 1851 The church opposes the mu-
nicipal control of cemeteries and de-
mands that the practice of alloting
portions of the cemeteries to Span
iards and foreigners who do not sub
scribe TO the state religion shall be
discontinued. In respect to the ques-
ton of civil marriages, the church
wishes to have it laid down that civil
unions between Spaniards are only
legal when celebrated according to
canon law, which is absolutely OPP
posed to the actual system. Before,
during and since the revolution, civil
marriages have always been held to
be legal. Further. marriages between
Catholics in Catholic churches and
chapels must be registered in the civil
registers to have any legal validity.
Consequently, the clergy are forced
either to do this or to have a civil
registrar present at the ceremony.
Births and deaths are also registered
by the civil authorities with wonder
fully improved results as far as the
preparation of statistics and proper
maintenance of records are concerned. |
The attitude of the government to- |
ward the religious orders is shown by |
the new law of associations, which |
will contain the following provisions:
No religious orders shall be estab- |
lished without the authorization of |
Parliament. The state shall accord |
support to any member of a religious |
order desiring to renounce the vows
taken. The minister of justice is en-
powered to withdraw the authorize
ton of any religious order found to be
inimical to morality or public tranquil
ity. The cabinet shall forthwith ex-
anime the authorizations previously
granted to religious orders and cancel
those which are illegal. Religious
orders whose members are foreigners
or whose directors reside abroad,
shall be dissolved. The authorities
are empowered to enter monasteries
without ecclesiastical sanction. Re
ligious orders shall not be allowed to
hold property in excess of the objects
for which, they were instituted. All
legacies to religious orders or dona-
tions TO orders by living persons or by
testimonies or through Intermediates
are formally prohibited The law of
1887 concerning the registering of re-
ligious orders remains in force.
A brief glance at the history of the
between the Vatican and
the Spanish government is essential
to a clear understanding of the pres
ent situation. Up to 1868, Spain toll
Grated no worship but the Catholic for
Spaniards. In 1868 the revolution of
September proclaimed liberty of the
press, propaganda, public meeting, ed
ucation and burial This regime con
tinued in spite of protests of the
Vatican until the end OF 1875, when
the Bourbon restoration caused re.
action, religious as well as political,
which effaced the progress and con.
quests of the revolution. The consti
tuition adopted by the Cortes of 1876
gave back all its rights and privileges
TO the Catholic church and re-estab-
Iished il as the state religion, giving
il at the same time considerable in
fuence in public education Ever
since 1876 the dynastic Liberal cabi-
nets have, little by little, given back
10 the people with universal suffrage,
he majority of the liberties and rights {
introduced by the revolution but up
10 the present, no ministry has dared
10 attack the constitution of 1876 as
lar as liberty Of conscience with its
secularization of public ed
lcation and liberty of discussion and {
criticism are concerned.
But the present cabinet OF Marshal