The Daily Missoulian., 1909-11-28

ness are to be sought the subject can
not he barred. Professor Ferrer knew
this. lie preached against II. He In
Cured Its enmity, and he fell. but his
end. unattainable In Iifs. seems t9 he
crowned in death. The priests hang
like milestone around the ntcKs nf
the poor. have done for centuries but
IL w.uid seem the awakening has
come. There are signs and signs
speaking in no uncertain voice that
this period Of utter servitude is weak
ening. They have taken heart from
France, which adopted drastic meas
ures and rid the people of doui
mating power whose voice was louder
than government. In Barcelona alone
are over 10 religious communities and
more have been added since these fig
urss were given. only a few short
years ago the voice nj priest would
have gneIiea any riot Barcelona ever
saw. now the priests themselves are
hunted from pillar to post. stoned and
Jeered. while the nuns fare no better
mt the hands of the infuriated pupu-
lace. The keynote of a nation must
be its siritc individuality. Under the
domination Of a church Il man loses
that individuality. He ceases tp think,
To- act and to work fur HIMSELF In n
word. he defers. 4 nation which loses
Its self-reliance is bound to retrugrsss
II the individual lack initiative the
nation VIII This summer the streets
of Barcelona have run red with the
blood Of fratricidal struggle.
struggle such as France knew at the
barricaaes Of tile Commune. when Ma
polcon fled ard the red "cap Of lib
crty'' waved over the lilies OF France.
Alfonso has the red history Of France
befor. him. Will he see the writing on
the @aif?'' He made one well nigh ir-
rcparable breach in the Notifications
NJ his throne i'm the war i'm Morocco.
That breach has been further widened
by the royal sanction of the death Of
Professor Ferrsr. What are the
thoughts nf the dowager queen Of
Spain during these terrible times? All
through the long years Of Aifonso's
infancy, an infancy accentHated by
the faithlessness Of the child sne
Fought with an indomnitahlc courage
against the covert attacks Of Don Car
grs and malignant renubiicanism.
fought as only a mother can when
such a mighty stake was the issue
Those years are indelibly printed upon
her heart. Now II would seem these
years of suffering, sorrow and tears
are to go for nothing. Alfonso. since
his marriage at any rate. has caused
more runtures in Spain than she had
known In years. Spain is iiliterate to
the last degree. Taking the towns
Of Tarifa, San Rogue. Los Barrlos.
etc. there Is a population Of nearly
100000 For these Spain maintains
seven small schools over this wide
area. From that storm center of Bar
ceiona comes warning after warming
bn every hand people ILL., fed i'll
housed, ill-clothed and iil-paid. living
In houses, many of them that an Irish
man would not house a pig I'm. they
are ready for rebellion. smouldering
with the rage of Unsurpassed an
archy and hate against "A monarchy
that finances with money and blood n
war 80 ssnseiess that tn. last adviees
state IL Is to be abandoned, and ex-
scute Professor Ferrer, the voice of
progress and freedom, A monarchy
that Is silent to its peoples cries can
not be bolstered up By church, pow
srful though II he Alfonso. Young
and irresponsible as he is. knows the
old proverb. vox papuli. vnx dei--"the
vote" of the people is the voice of
God"