The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-10-06

uanserlnS the pOSltlOn Ill spain by lie
present unbending attitude and they
do not believe Cardinals Merry del
Val and vivesy Toto :. can hold out
against this majority Indefinitely.
Neither does the question OF reli-
gion enter very largely into the con-
troversy in Spain. Most Spaniards
are Catholics and they will remain
Catholics however the church and
state quarrel may end. So it is not
because it fears any loosening in its
spiritual grip upon the people that the
church Is getting ready to fight
The Spanish church, considering
the extent of its field, is the most
powerful commercial organization in
the world. Fully one-third of the
country's wealth is in the church's
hands.
There is hardly an industry in which
the church is not extensively engaged
mining, manufacturing and the OPP
Grafton of steamship lines being in
stances of its commercialism. In the
single city of Barcelona there are
259 ''concents" as Spaniards call every
sort Of religious community house,
whether for men or women. Not one
but is busy along lines which bring
them into direct competition with the
laity. The members OF the orders"
do practically all the work in all these
industries for no wages beyond sup
port in their various community
houses, so that the labor market is
disorganized. They are untaxed, and
taxation being tremendously heavy in
Spain, the advantage this gives them
makes competition hopeless. And
finally. the government pays them APP
proximately one-tenth of its entire
revenues.
Yet point has been reached where
the people must have relief or starve.
Three pesats day.or about "a cents,
Is high pay for skilled workmen. The
striking miners of Dilbao had been
getting approximately As cents before
they walked out. Common labor
brings about % cents. And living in
Spain is not appreciably cheaper than
in the United States.
How precarious life is in King Al
fonso's country may be judged from
the case OF Antonio Fabra Ribas. a
very will known Spanish newspaper
man living in Paris, who furnished IRE
with credentials TO a number of his
colleagues in Madrid and Barcelona.
Senior Ribas had the bad luck TO be
sentenced to death by a military court
during the reactionary regime OF
Premier Maura. who turned his coun-
try into a slaughter-house during the
troubles Of July and August, 1909, but
beat the xecutioner across the frontier
and has made his home In France ever
since. Now, Premier Canalejas, the
head OF the present Liberal admins
tration, has an idea that the news
paperman's sentence was unjust and
has let him know that he may return
home in safety whenever he chooses.
Senior Rihas would like to go but
Is afraid OF the re-establishment of a
reactionary regime on such short
notice as 10 preclude the possibility
Of second flight. In which case he
is well aware that his previous SEN
tence would be executed without fur
Their ceremony.
Elsewhere this financial argument
is laughed at. The Carlists are poor,
Il Is agreed. but no doubt Is felt that
the church will find money for them
as soon as II becomes positive that II
has nothing more TO hope from Al
fonso. Whether or not II will win the
present King back Is hard even to
guess. Just nov he seems firm for the
Canalejas program but the church's
influence over him is very strong, that
OF the Queen Mother. Maria Chris
tine. an ardent Clerical. Is stronger
still, and Alfonso himself. for all OF
a somewhat informal and democratic
manner. is looked on as a reactionary
az heart.
II Is In the Industrial districts that
real revolution Is in the air. In
these sections the people will not even
be satisfied with a Limitation OF the
church's privileges. Insofar as Il Is a
vested interest they want II driven out
OF Spain. They also want a republic.
! was doubtful upon this point when I
visited the country. n the fight re-
solved itself into struggle between
Alfonso and the anti-clericals on one
side and Don Jaime and the clericals
on the other. imagine Il possible
that the republicans might cast In
their lot with Alfonso for the time.
To say, indeed. that the movement
is unimportant because confined TO
Catalonia would be in itself mlslead-
Ing. Barcelona, with $4,000 popula-
ton to Madrid's 500 600, IL the largest
city In Spain. II Is also Immensely
the richest The four Catalan pro-
yinces pay. more taxes than all the
rest 81 Spain combined. The people
are the best educated and even al
that only thwo-thITds 81 them can read
and write. They are the most enter
prising and industrious. They are
the most independent and literary-loy-
ing. The best soldiers and the abiest
politicians In King Alfonso's realm.
In short, a united Catalan attempt
al separation from the rest Of Spain
would stand a fair chance Of success.