Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-27
Senior Ferrer threatened to make the

Senior Ferrer threatened to make the
passion of Catalonia irresistible, at mo-
ment when the ferment of revolt was
spreading to the center and south. Senior
Maura fell back upon the forces of
regionalism and was justified. He play
ed off the racial prejudices of the one
region against the other. and in order to
those who did not matter to fight the
MoorS in North Africa. To be sure,
his action added largely to the ranks of
widows and orphans. but then in Spain,
where tobacco Is a government monopoly,
the shops are given to widows, and doubt
less there is much in this custom to lay
the ministerial conscience, presuming
such a thing exists.
Another force in favor of the monarchy
is the Capitalization of government in
Madrid and the rapidity with which any
province can be transferred from the con-
troll of the civil governor to the charge of
the captain general of the district whose
accession establishes martial law. drum
head courts-martial and the decisive YER
dict of firing parties, whose mistakes are
buried in the common ditch. These mis-
takes are safe to include all the leaders
of the movement. Every district in Spain
has its political boss known as the
cacique, a creature of Madrid, upon whose
abilities promotion and honor depend. He
is concerned in upholding a regime that
fills his pockets and never audlts his &C
counts, and the conspiracy of which he
does not possess full and early knowledge
must be a wonderfully well managed
AFFAIR.
Weyler Big Factor.
Another factor remains to be considered
IN the shape of little man with piercing
eyes, bushy gray whiskers. indomitable
courage and a short, sharp way with dis
affected groups of his fellow-countrymen.
He is well known in America for his gov
ernorship of Cuba. His name is Valerie
Weyler He is general in the Spanish
army. and Marquis of Teneriffe. The gen.
eral is in Catalonia just now, looking for
trouble, and the Galatians know that
where he finds any he will deal with 1t
as he dealt with the Filipinos and Cubans
in the old days before the SpanlSn-AWefl-
can war.
Here, then, are the forces that. fore
warned and forearmed. stand between
King Alfonso XIII and a republic 1t
will be seen that they are very consider
a Bile and we'll organized. If Senior Cana
lejas is allowed a free hand-and it must
be remembered that some of the highest
ladies in the land are united with the
white and black parties against nim-ne
may be able to save the kingdom from
mate If, on the other hand. the late
campaign in North Africa should be
actively resumed, If any more anti
clerical or republican leaders are done to
death, the emissaries of the republic may
succeed in persuading Spain to forget her
resionalism, and, that great task accom-
plshed, the rest will be easy.
As Bad as Portugal.
The conditions Of government recently
overthrow in Portugal were no worse
than those that obtain in the adjoining
kingdom, where. for long years past, the
Alfonsists have divided the spoils Of office
and voted themselves back pay with a
persistency worthy of an honest cause.
The CASTLES have bled the rest Of the
country, and. outside Catalonia, only the
old nobility with their vast and unde-
veloped estates are rich.
Happily for the rulers the Moorish in
yasion Of Spain has left behind 1t
vast amount of resignation that is pure
Nv Mohammedan. The poor Spaniard is
Injured to hardships, and is apt to con-
sole himself with q cigarette. some wine
that would take the skin off an Ameri-
cans palate, and dreams of the way in
which he would administer the country
il called from his pueblo to the high
places of the capital. 1t is only the sight
of his fellows broke in the wars"-wars
waged on behalf of capitalist adventures
and their friends in high places-that
tience Senior Canalejas understands this
Interesting Literary Contest.
1t Is difficult to strike a really interest
ing literary competition nowadays, but
one is going the rounds now (which has
aroused middle-class London to a very