The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-10-02


thority-Many Of the Disorders Are
Attributed to Local Causes-chsness
of Internal Strife.
j. Fitzmaurce- Kelly, professor OF
Spanish at Kings college, London, an
authority on Hispanic matters, con-
tributes to the Pail Mall Gazette an
interesting discussion Of elements in
the Spanish situation which have re-
ceived little notice. He says:
There are more fighting spirit and In.
dependence in the Russians and less
practical sense, perhaps. than In the
Spaniards.
attribute most Of the disorders In
Valencia to local causes. The inabil-
ity of the natives to sell their fruit,
especially to England, Is one. Quite
naturally the British government cam
not risk British shipping for Spanish
fruit. On the other hand, England
sends ships to the north Of Spain for
ore. Oranges are luxury. Ore Is use
full In war. The people Of Valencia
feel that they have been left in the
lurch. Et
The unity Of Spain Is not an accom-
plished fact; it is a phrase, nothing
more. One sees that In the separatism
of the Catalans in Barcelona. 1t is
Indicated In the abundance Of regional
literature in Spain. Spain, indeed, is
richer than any other modem country
in this respect. Regional literature is
the literature of the locality; Hardy's
Wesscx is an English example. In
Spain the local spirit Is highly deyel-
oped. "Are you Spanish" "No, I am
n Catalan or 81 am an Andalusian."
One may ask such question and OBJ
tain such an answer In any railway
carriage when one is travelling in
Spain. t.
As the country is not welded togeth-
er, Is there enough fighting spirit to
lead an open outbreak? Supposing, for
instance, the Nalencians or the people
of any province take up arms, what
opportunity have they got to fight the
central govemment? Personally, I do
not consider that they have very much
p i
the general principle that revolutions
mean money and organization, neither
of which abounds. say, In Valencia.
Furthermore, the central government,
although not popular, is strong. The
Spaniard in the profundlty OF his heart
respects strength. The Spanish kings
who have been most popular have
uhiplt nd ft, otn
, 1t is only necessary TO recall Peter the
Cruel and Philip II. Men may be ty-
rants, but they accomplish something
they govern.
l think that the inclination of the
people in power will be to defend them
selves. King Alfonso will not 60 down
without a fight, ns Dom Manuel did In
: Portugal. The army may not be In
= good condition, yet the soldiers have
, what they themselves pride of
uniform" That In itself makes them
:, high handed, something which would
he evident In the event OF an outbreak
1t may be remembered that the army q
, own most pressing grievances have
been dealt with lately. And then, too,
| imagine, there would be a great d.
vision of opinion among the people,
: notably among tho bourgeolsie. They
+ know from personal experience Spain
tendency toward splitting up into little
republics, and they would not put their
money into anything OF that kind.
Opposition Prospects.
Taking into consideration the unity
OF the established power and the dis
unity of the opposition, tho prospect,
of the latter do not appear to me tC
be very great. In Barcelona, which Is
both the Belfast of Spain and the con
\ ter of discomfort, the disorders hnvt
been suppressed. What has happened
| there is likely to happen elsewhere.
While In Russia England is looked
upon as "the enemy OF freedom" ir
Spain she is looked upon as the or
gani2cr OF revolutions. Gibraltar, OF
- course. Is worked for all It Is worth
by the German propagandists as sen
" timental grievance among Spaniards
y who have somehow got the idea thai
~ II Germany should be victorious SPAR
would be given back Gibraltar at thu
= end of the war.
" Even English aud German CONNER
~ cla travellers have, in their way. Ger
tain acquired regulations In Spain
The German trade representative Il
always eager to please and to meet re
quircments. The Englishman's atti
tude is, Take the goods ns they are
or leave them" The Spanish trades
man prefers to have his accounts II
n pcsctas; the English traders make OH
K their invoices In pounds sterling. Th,
German bows to the desire OF the Span
ISL commercial population, and peseta
are the basis OF calculation.
Again, the German clergy do no
travel in Spain; the English clerg,
90 do-aud accompanied by their wives
m Spau!ards do not understand churcl
~ functionaries being married, and thcr
-, is in consequence a dlsagreeabie i'm
Vi preston left In their minds. Ono
le when was In Spain the archbishop
n OF Blank and Mrs So-and.so arrived