The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-10-15
SPAIN 5INCE 1893

7 OlILlSolly ophlu pOSSSoSSS looi . S'S
| guiding forces: Conservatives. Lib
erales." "Republicanos" and "Carlis-
tas." OF these only the Republicans
! and the Carlists have clear and def
mite programme, and it may even be
said that only the latter have real
! watchword. Indeed, so great is the
! diversity of opinion between the Re-
publicans and the Carlists that they
are able to effect little, though they
control what Is numerically strong
minority thirty in the Cortes. The
| Conservatives and Liberals are the
governmental parties of to-day, and
they, thanks 10 system Of alterna-
ton, or turn about, succeed each other
in power in accordance with the royal
will. But the curious thing about
these political aggregations is that
/ they do not have clear and definite
creed or political programme. The
| Conservatives Of to-day are the l-lDer-
,aIs of yesterday, for they, thanks to
an evolutionary movement Of the I-ef!
found themselves on the Right ami
were given the name OF reaction.
aries However. the Liberals. who
now and then use ''radicalism" anc
"anti-ciericalism" as 'watch~ords OF
! their party forget their promises when
once in power and in the majority OF
cases continue the policy Of their pre-
decessors.
In spite Of all, however, in the gen
eral method. Of administration Spain
is being rcgenerated. Opposition. or
agreement. for example, has brought
about guarantees of stability to the
public functionaries, thus doing away
with the multitude. of unemployed
persons which each change CT govern
ment used to bring. The type OF
"cesante" dismissed public oficer) is
/! becoming more rare every day, and 1t
is to be hoped that this evolution.
/ having thus commenced, will end by
completely destroying the type.
The life Of the provinces has gained
a great impetus in the last few years:
Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia. Zaragoza,
Valladolid, &C., are establishing new
industries and opening markets within
and without the. kingdom. However.
the character. distinctive OF each OF
these provinces and the necessity OF
defending special interests cause a
certain spirit Of discord or rivalry to
exist between them Barcelona, for
example, an industrial province par
excellence, needs to import the greater
part of the raw material for its man.
ufacturing, and so high tariff system
would be the ruin of the Catalan re-
:,ion. Valencians, on the her, hand,
whose greatest resource Is agriculture,
are comparatively indifferent to tariff
questions, for their prosperity depends
in great part on rates of exchange.
Owing to the depreciation OF Spanish
currency they are able to sell their
products in foreign markets at a pre-
WulCu ohSS|E Vic SS'e ~ FN~
daction and handling.
This especial nature Of the various
r,giOns gives them also very marked
Political tendencies. In the centers of
ipiuslry the body. OF laborers is Reprb-
~ Or Socialist Barcelona and iu
nAigaborhood, Madrid, Valencia. Zara-
= "a Eiibao, &c.,. The country peo
~. Oh tile contrary are for the most
;,art reactionary. although private in
/, tests or the pressure OF proprietor
ron tenant may be determinatlve OF
TIE iaru,er's vote.
feared by tile great and powerful.
frequently OF but little education Dut
pt IA cunning sagavity, al entansIer OF
the clearest questions and all inter-
,.reter OF the most difficult the Ca
r;nle" manages and upsets the govern
lent OF province. Mayors. Goiern'
f:,s. DEPUTIES. high and low officials
i'll owe to him their posts aud are his
Instruments. going from Ministry to
Ministry dancing attendance while at
.,ome in his little corner the "cacique
With shrewd Imagination prepares
lie strokes of local politics. The
Province OF Castellon. which elects
seven Deputies, was managed by
kind of committee called the cosi. di-
7'ected by peraon OF the middle class.
''',lp political educuti OF Lie citt-
zen is coming more and more into cri-
dence. and with its advance The III
llrenre OF the ''racique' tpolitical
"chicf" or boss is growing less. so
that al present the regions in which
the Will OF the latter doninaies are
very few. \ new pn!;;ial mower mas
been cnn.:tituted since Tie loss %! The
colonies and has been Sreaiiy ali;;-
riented il 'he last elections: Il soil
Garidad" The principle oF s0iid'rity.
This is Tho concentration nl diverse
Iol;ti:al tendencies Of section flr the
defence OF its Interests against pnlicy
or rentralyn,irn Nowhere has tile
central power been 50 hailed as III
Spuin. IN effect without doubt nf the
heteroyenpity OF the nations compo-
pent pprts. 4 Catalan does no1 de-
sire 10 be classed with Il G:.lirian or
an Andal'is.fn: tAicnriAn or
Muwian is very different from a Ma
yarre:e or q Basque: and tic diversity