The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-12
SPAIN ID BEGIN
 FIGHT ON VATICAN Liberals Will Insist on Recent
 Demands NOT LIKE FRENCH CONTEST Actual Separation of Church and State In Spain Not to Be Immediately
 Raised-History of the
 Controversy.
NOT LIKE FRENCH CONTEST

Madrid. October u.-Upon the assem- bling of the Cortes October 20, the vatican and liberal government of Marshall Lopez Dominguez, will cross swords over the church issue. While the actual question of the separation of church and state in Spain, the stronghold of Catholicism Is not to be immediately raised as in France, the programme of the liberals is distinct ly anti-cierical and if 1t progresses suc- cessfully is sure ultimately to lead 10 an open fight for the severance of the ties which bind the vatican and the Bourbon dynasty.
 Meanwhile the political world is much interested as to whether the vatican wishes merely to fight for the re-estab- lshment of it's prerogatives which 1t has allowed to fall more or less into abey- ance or if it has deeper plan to pre- clpitate the downfall of the liberal cabinet and the return of the reactionary party. The Dominguez cabinet found an excel lent pretxet for joining battle with the vatican in the shape of the question of civil marriages and control of the public cemeteries. The Count De Romanones minister of justice in the Dominguez cabinet, a man of liberal views and of great strength of character, took up the firm attitude with the entire assent of his colleagues, he replied to the papa note demanding the re-establishment of the amove mentioned powers. To this the vatican answered by presenting note couched in more pre-emptory form presenting the same demands and pro- testing against the attitude of the gov ernment. The ministry confined itself to making a formal acknowledgement of the note.
 History of Controversy. A brief glance of the history of the transactions between the vatican and the Spanish government is essential. Up to 1868, Spain tolerated no worship but the Catholic for Spaniards In 1868 the revo- lution of September proclaimed liberty of the press, propaganda, public meeting, education and burial. This regime cen tinued in spite of the protests of the vati- can until the end of 1875 when the Bour- bon restoration caused reaction. re- lisious as well as political, which effaced the progress and conquests of the revo- lution. The constitution adopted by the Cortes of 1876 gave back all its rights and privileges to the Catholic church and re- established it as the state religion giving It at the same time considerable infu- ence in public education.
 Ever since 1876 the dynastic elberal cab inets have little by little, especially under the auspices of Senor Sagasta, given back to the people with universal suffrage the majority of the liberties and rights in- tpoduced by the revolution. but up to the present no ministry has dared to attack the constitution of 1876. so far as liberty of conscience with it's corollaries, secular ization of public education and liberty of discussion and criticism are concerned
 Points at Issue.
 The points at issue between the vatican and the Spanish government are the con- trol of the cemeteries, civiI marriage pub- lie education. all matters which have been settled by the ensuing legislation and the big question of the religious congregations not included in the concordate of 1851 The church opposes the municipal control of cemeteries and demands that the prac- tice of alloting portions of the cemeteries to Spaniards and foreigners who do not subscribe to the state religion shall be discontinued. Further marriage between Catholics in Catholic churches and chapes must be registered in the civil registers to have any legal validity. Consequently the clergy are forced either to do this or to have civil registrar present at the ceremony. Births and deaths are also reg istered by the civil authorities with won derfully improved results as far as the preparation of statistics and the proper maintenance of records are concerned.
 Did Not Wait for Nuncio.
 The minister of education Dr. Jimlnlo, a leading member of the Canalejas group, has taken the initiative in the secularizl- zation of education without waiting for the papel nuncio to force his action.
 In a circular he asks all the educational authorities, primary. and secondary. to forward to the ministry within month a list of non-official educational estimates which are not legally authorized. The de-