The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-16
CHURCH AND sTArE IN SPAIN.

tho advanced Liberal leader who won
= notable triumph last month In the
elections for the COFtos. A month aEo
Premier Canalejss made approaches 10
Pope Plus K. on tho subject Of revision
Of the Spanish oOnCordat Of ls5l. The
Pope and his advisers took the pro-
poaal In good part. They consented TO q
disCussion Of the topic. In faCt there
could be no choice. IL was notorious that
reform Of the Church In Spain. and sspe-
cially Of the nelationa between Church and
State, was a cardinal feature Of the Cana
leias platform. Il was known that he
had enacted the consent Of King Alfonso
% the principle Of ecclesiastical reform ns
condition Of taking ofice. 30 the Vat
lean CONSENTED 10 consider the matter.
apparently with the notion that a pro-
longod diplomatic negotiation was thereby
initiated which would tie up the whole
reform movement.
But no such outlook suited the impa-
tiencs Of the Spanish Liberals or accorded
with the Prsmisr's idea ol his mission.
The conooFJlat Of 1881 makes the Catholic
Church the Stats religion and provides
for lie support BY tho State. II protects
episcopal rights and the religious orders
legally established In the kindgOm. also
the right Of tho Church 10 acquire and hold
property. with sundFy other prOviaions.
The matter Of State support. the riGhts
Of the orders and the property question
are tho three principal points on which
Canalejas and his followers desire modi-
acatiOns. and radical notifications; bat
a. these are ell contFactlal matters the
Ministry was willing 10 accept the delay
necessary 10 secure change BY diplomatic
methods. There were. however. numsr-
Gus other aspects n the Churchs aihia-
ton In SpaiR-ahases. the Liberal and
radical elsmsnt call thsm--which were
not matters of stipulation In the concOr-
dat. and these u was resolved 10 attack
forthwith. alike with a view to nesting
the sentiment Of the Liberal voters who
had just given Senior Canalejas his ma
ioFity and In order 70 satisfy his own
Coincidence and thee Of his associates.
One fruit Of this resolve was the royal
decree n May ~. which directed that all
religious orders not authorized by the
ooncoNSiat should Immediately dissolve or
else enroll themselves under an ALSO.
oiations' law passed In 1851. Last Satur-
day Premier Canalsjas issued an order
10 the provincial Governors Cor the i'm
mediate and rigid endorsement Of this
decree. Az the same time a second de-
cree was promulgated removing the most
humiliating restrictions from non Catholic
sects, permitting them n place religious
emblems on their houses Of worship
and 10 conduct their services publicly on
an equal plane of freedom with Roman
Catholics.
Al this point the Vatican halked. Mgr.
Vioo. the Nuncio. filed formal protests
against the action n the Ministry. de-
nouncinR Il a. a breach II faith In Antici-
patinR the negotiations % which the
Holy See had consented. The note pre-
sentsd insisted that the status quo should
he maintained until the two high con-
tracing parties could come 70 an agree
ment covering the whole field Of Church
and state relations.
To this Of course Canaleias could make
only one answer His aim IL 20 restrict
the scope u the concoriat. not 20 extend IL;
he therefore could not allow discussion Of
Ia terms 10 protect abuses which the terms
themselves did not protect. The status
Of non.Cutholios has long been a crying
evil In Spain. The Liberal press IL clam
oring daily for absolute equality among
all citizens a. regards religion. Tho
papeS are concerned a. a rule not for the
Protestant sectaries but for the free think
era. and the remedy they propose IL the
total withdrawal n the STATE subventioD
for tho support Of the Church. together
with absolute freedom for lay schools.
even thOse Of anarchist tendency. Il
may BE- doubted whetheF the public opln-
lon Of Spain a. a whole IL ripe for either
change just yet. Canaleias and his Min
istry are far from demanding them. at least
a. this immediate moment; but there 10 no
doubt that tho leas, he could do was 20
make good the principle Of freedOm Of
religious opinion by granting freedOm Of
worship.
A. regards tho religious orders. the
Ministry IL again face 20 face with mon
strous conditions. Even eKtrems Spanish
Catholics Sc the need Of reform. The |
Vatican itself IL said 20 have admitted Il. |
There IL some reason 90 think that lts |
anger AZ the prompt action Of the Ministry |
is because a concession which could be !
cheerfully made In exchange for some |
cherished privilege Ia by its speedy action |
taken out Of tho field Of negotiation.
The number Of religious houses in Spain |
according 10 tho latest figures 10 S,7ss. |
These shelter sO.O4O women and iO.asO |
men. a total Of $3.50 rsclusss in a popula-
ton estimated 10 be less than nineteen
millions. The wealth concentrated in
their hands Ia incalculable. notwith- |
standing the poverty Of the country
Last March Senior CObian. the Minister
Of Finance in the canalejas Cabinet.
made a statement 20 a foreign news
paper in which he defined the situation.
Ever since 1851. he said. the number and
membership Of the orders had been grow
ing inordinately. This was especially
true since isas on account Of the loss Of |
the Spanish colonies and the expulsion 1
u the religious from other countries.
meaning Of course France. They we're
nov 20 numerous A. % be a social danger
Leo XIII. had recognized this mOtu
prOpgiO-Of his own initiative: 20 had
Plus K. Many Of the orders had no legal
status. They refused TO enroll under
the law Of 1881: well. he was In favor Of
nsw lOgis lation 10 control them.
Thora wna alan an anomnuntn a.n-.~
and he proposed 10 meet II by aboliahlng |