Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-17

\ cablegram from Madrid announces
that King Alfonso has signed the bill
drawn by Premier Cana
Kings leias forbidding more re-
ligiOus orders to enter
0PPAo'oA' Spain until the negotia-
tons with the Vatican for revision of the
concordat were definitely concluded.
1t Is recalled that June IL the Madrid
government on the recommendation OF
Senior Canalejas abrogated article II of
the constitution of 1876, which prohibited
non-Catholics from displaying the insig-
MIA of their religion or of publicly engaS-
ing in religious worship. Against this
decree the papal secretary OF state. Merry
del Val. protested on the ground that 1t
anticipated something to which the Nati-
can had not agreed. On the other hand
the Madrid government took the ground
that the protest was a de facto violation
of the concordat. being an interference
with the interior affairs Of Spain.
The converting OF the cortes June Is was
marked by the usual brilliant ceremonies.
The important conflict between church
and state had provoked much excitement
throughout the provinces, and demonstra
tons for and against the parties at
variance had resulted in some violence
and tumult. Germany's protest against
the last encyclical letter Of the Vatican
had singularly embarrassed the latter. y
rupture between Spain and the Vatican
seemed imminent. but in view of the
cession of the latter to German protesta
ton 1t was not thought possible that the
Vatican would maintain it's attitude to-
ward Spain.
This situation and the dread Of an out
break caused the government to take I'M
usual precautions to pre-
Official serve order in Madrid
p-4: Twenty thousand troops
were concentrated at the
capital and perfect order was maintained
The interest in the speech from the
throne was absorbing. treating as it
did projects of the greatest importance
for the moral and material future of
Spain. Among the many reforms pro-
posed by government the following may
be cited: The establishment of obli-
gatory military service in lieu Of
money. and the complete reorganiza-
ton Of the army, the reorganization Of
justice. the revision Of the civil and
penal codes, but not the suppression
Of the death penalty proposed by Ger
tain reformers; the establishment of the
finance department. a reform Of the
system Of taxation, with the object
OF Its equitable application, and to ac-
cord with the resources of the taxed
the division of large estates. the estab-
lishment Of rules applicable to labor
and favorable to the proletariat; the
extension and development Of public
instruction. the augmentation Of tele-
graph. telephone and postal communica-
tons; the protection Of emigrants in
countries to which they had emigrated,
the restoration Of the equilibrium in
the budget and a complete fiscal re-
form, the reconstruction and establish
ment of the maritime material. and the
complete reorganization of that depart
ment commercial and military.
The most significant point in the mes
sage is the reference to the conflict
between the Madrid government and
the sovereign pontiff and the senti-
ments Of filial generation due to him
cause US to hope for the maintenance
of good relations between the two pow
'ers, based upon the mutual respect Of
their prerogattve."
It was Indispensable to the interests
OF the Madrid government to arrive at
an accord with the holy
Suppression see with reference to
- n., the suppression Of con-
VI 0AV9A0' vents and religious or
ders not indispensable to the necessities
Of the diocese, and with this purpose
in view negotiations were in process
with the Vatican. A new concordat
had been proposed by Senior Ojeda. the
Spanish ambassador at the Vatican.
The concordat. It is recalled. is the
celebrated agreement concluded July Is.
1901, between Bonaparte and Plus VII.
The principal points are that the chief of
government names the archbiShOpS and
bishops, who continue to receive from the
Pope canonfcal orders; the bishops take
the oath to government, name cures,
subject to ministerial ratification; the
Pope abandons all claims to proceeds of
ecclesiastical estates. and in return the
state pays the salaries Of the bishops and
cures.
The conflict between Spain and the
Vatican, it should be recalled. is not new.
The revolution Of 1920 suppressed the re-
lfgious orders, which were re-established
on the restoration of Ferdinand VII in
1914. then abolished again under the mo-
narchical regime by the law OF "exclaus-
tration" under the regime Of Minister Men
dizabel in 1897 following the antimonachal
riots of 1885: relations with the holy see
were suspended until renewed in 1S4S In
1901 a new COICOTudt WdS ISSOlidteu, Uul
abrogated by the revolution of 1859. 1t
was restored upon the accession of AL
fonso XII. It specifically recognized only
four orders, namely: st. Vincent de Paul,
Philip Of Neri, the Sisters Of Charity de-
voted to the care of the sick and poor,
and an order devoted to teaching.
K X
The renewal Of the law Of associations
of 1887 opened the door wide to con-
tinuous invasion of new
Inflow of orders. There followed
Associations. the pbiIinn,uas &C re-
suit of the Standardization war, and
then again from France, following ex-
pulsions from that country. The exact
figures are not obtainable. but the num-
bers estimated are over 100000 monks
and nuns. 5000 monasteries and con-
vents.
June p Of this year the Vatican
formulated its ultimatum to Spain In
the withdrawal or the de-
cree of June II granting privileges TO