Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-23
THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN.
1.-THE REAL RULERS.
By Frederic J. Haskin.
By Frederic J.Haskin.

huence in the diminished Spanish do
minions today, as If It were impossible
Tor the Spaniard to learn from bitter
experience. II is sowing the seeds Of
revolution at home, as 1t sowed them
in the colonies.
Senior Maura, twice prime minister, IL
quoted in a book called 'Oligarchy and
as saying that public power
In Spain Is neither desired nor exercised
In order to protect right or justice, en-
courage culture or prosperity, or guide
the life of the people. Endeavors to en-
ploy the constitutional, functions Alright,
he says. have always been "ephemeral.
incidental and promptly frustrated" Be
meath the false frame of the constitution
there Is the big cacique-the editor of
the Official Gazette, and distributor of
the spoils.' AS the prime minister is the
real distributor Of the spoils the word
ject may be taken as being relia ble
So long has caciquism been nurtured In
Spanish political life that a majority Of
those who are In
POLITICIANS politics, but who
After the Spells. e,oues moi hone se 70 ro oa
out the bosses who are fattening upon
the spoils rather than to uproot the evils
of bossism. There are, Of course, sincere
and decent men who make attempts to
better conditions. but they are a small
and ineffective minority and have not
succeeded in making themselves suffl-
GENTLY menacing to the system OF boss-
ism to have a decided and salutary ef-
feet. There will be q revolution In
half century perhaps, say the pessimists,
but In the meantime there will be graft.
There are. Of course, opumist who
hope for q social or military revolution
at much earlier period.
Power remains in the hands OF political
factions or cliques from the Smallest
provinces to the capital The great ma
Jority OF the people are too ignorant and
apathetic, in country where 12,UOO 90
out Of 100000 cannot even read their
own names. to become greatly interested
In reform. They have learned from long
experience that overtaxation, neglect Of
and other evils are to be ex-
pected In Spain. and they expect them
with stoicism that is tempered by their
ignorance OF how much better off the
people OF other countries are.
Tne great bulwark Of caciuufsm IN
the government. which supports the
:. political party in
farllament Kun power and pays no
hv Ro.s;ou attention to the
people and their
welfare. Parliament is run by boss
sm. The caciques elect the members
of the cortes. and the prominent Span
ards. like Senior Maura, who can so
sloquently condemn the system In
print, profit by 1t in their public ca
reers without hesitation. The oligarchy
1t Madrid reaches its tentacles to the
small towns and rural dis
:ricts to destroy the purity Of elections
fectly drilled. and it's system IL organ
zed In manner that leaves nothing to
be desired.
The cacique Of the small town or pro-
vtncial metropolis Is usually. like tho
: olitical boss in America, a well-to-do
If an ancient family. Sometimes he is
! nobleman. Again he may owe his
position to native shrewdness The
self made" political boss 10 not UNI
known in Spain. A man gifted In in
.rigue and untroubled by scruples may
American boss. he is sometimes q plain.
blunt man, who makes no speeches and
makes no pretense to statesmanship
,ut exercises the function OF manipu-
ator as quietly as he can, considering
he profits and not caring at all for the
in Spain. and the pros
,ects OF Interference by q really free
press do not deter the caciuue from
rross abuses that the worst American
Joss would regard az TOO strong to be
tut over"
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