Spain from Within

by Rafael Shaw

The Conservative-Monarchist Party

Dato, Sanchez Toca, and Gonzalez Besada are the three leading dissentients from Maura’s policy of reaction, and now stand for the old Conservative-Monarchical programme of peace and conciliation without sensational reforms. Their organ is the Correspondencia de España, an eight-paged paper, well printed and got up, containing the fullest military intelligence and the best foreign news to be found in the Spanish Press. It has a far larger circulation than any other Conservative or Clericalist paper, and is to be seen on most of the kiosks in large towns. If it were not believed by the people to be subsidised by the party opposed to electoral and social reforms, its influence in the country would doubtless be considerably stronger than it is. At present the working classes do not read it, although no other paper gives nearly as much matter for the price, which is 5 cmes.

INDEX

[A], [B], [C], [D], [E], [F], [G], [H], [I], [J], [L], [M], [N], [P], [Q], [R], [S], [T], [U], [V], [W], [Z].

Aguilera, Señor, [240]
Alcalde, the, [265] note
Alfonso XII., [112]
Alfonso XIII., [122-4], [182], [318]
All Souls’ Day, observation of, [46];
scandal connected with Masses on, [84-6]
Ayuntamiento, the, [265] note; [274]
Baptism, [47]
Barcelona, effect of riots, [17];
refugees from, [90], [92];
Carlist activities in, [134] ff.;
stories of riots, [165-6];
bombs in, theory of, [181] ff
Beatas, [21]
“Bull of the Crusade,” [64]
Bullfight, the, [307] ff
Burial, [48], [50-1]
Cacique,the [230-3]
Canalejas, Señor, [243-6], [317-9]
Carlists, alleged plots of, [167], [176];
army, [155-6];
party, [321]
“Catholic Associations,” [163]
Church, attitude towards people, [31-2];
illegal disposal of property, [80] ff;
unique position of,in Spain, [304]
Civil Guard, the, [175], [218] ff
Clergy, children of, [79-80], [106-7];
arming and drilling of, [161], [164]
Clerical Press, the, [28], [169], [235], [320-1]
Confessional, the, [43], [73] ff
Conscription, consolidates Monarchy, [111];
conditions of exemption, [209];
proposals for alteration, [210]
Conservatives, the, [251], [256], [322]
Consumo, the, [15], [288]
Contribucion industrial, [286]
Convent schools, [275]
Correo Catalan, the, [151], [172], [243], [321]
Correo Español, the, [163], [321]
Correspondencia de España, the, [254], [322]
Crossing, modes of, [65-7]
Cuban War, stories of, [200-3]
Customs’ duties, [285]
Demonstrations, clerical, [191-4]
“ popular, [174]
Education, desire for, [15], [33]
Ejercito Español, the, [152], [238]
Electoral system, [229-33]
Employers and employed, relations of, [23] ff
England, misunderstanding of Spanish politics in, [227], [257];
hopes of people from, [277], [318];
admiration of, in Spain, [309]
Ferrer, [147-9], [170], [325]
Gasset, Señor, [236], [317]
Governments, distrusted by working classes, [30]
Heraldo de Madrid, the, [187], [229] note, [257], [270], [318]
Honesty, [62]
Hume, Major Martin, quoted, [133], [228]
Illiteracy, [263], [271]
Images, belief in, [52-3], [55-8]
Imparcial, the, [114], [318]
Irrigation scheme, [237]
Jaime, Don, of Bourbon, [117], [153-4], [166], [170]
Lay schools, the, [169];
clerical campaign against, [190-1], [193]
Liberal, the, [35], [172], [294], [317]
Llorens, Señor, [152-3], [163], [321]
Lottery, national, [298]
Luque, General, [238]
Madrid, attitude of, towards the South, [26-8]
Marriage among working classes, [48-9]
Matches, monopoly of, [292]
Maura, Señor, [35], [115], [137-8], [144], [150], [203], [234], [245], [251-3], [256], [280], [320]
Melquiades Alvarez, Señor, [259], [317], [319]
Monopolies, Government, [291-2]
Montero Rios, Señor, [242], [317]
Moret, Señor, [137], [173], [228], [234], [237], [239], [241-3], [253], [258], [317]
Morocco, war in, [200] ff
Morral, [144], [148]
Moslems, mixed with Spaniards, [28-9];
traditional feeling against, [207]
Municipal elections, 1909, [237]
Nuevo Mundo, the, [7]
Pais, the, [171], [223], [319]
Paz, Infanta Doña, [207]
Penitential dress, [64]
Penitents, [53]
Police, various bodies of, [215] ff
Politics, difficulties of understanding, [228]
Popular songs, [142-3]
Postal service, [298]
Prayers quoted, [67-8]
Primo de Rivera, General, [203]
Public instruction, system of, [264] ff
Purgatory, popular view of, [44]
Queen, the, animus of clergy against, [120];
feeling of working people towards, [121-2], [128];
courage shown by, [182]
Queen-Mother, the, [113], [115]
Religious Orders, the, change of people’s attitude towards, [17];
positions in Spain illegal, [90];
relations to working classes, [93];
underselling of workpeople by, [94-5], [105];
people ruined by, [97-102];
refusal to help at time of distress, [102];
evasion of taxation by, [295];
measures adopted by Government, [317-8]
Republicans, the, [239], [258-60], [317], [319]
Reservists, supposed protest against calling out of, [204]
Romanones, Count, [240], [322]
Royal Family, suppression of news about, during the Maura régime, [116], [123-6]
Sanchez Toca, Señor, [254]
School supply, facts about, [270]
Serenos, the, [217]
Socialists, the, [237]
Sociedad editorial, the, [139], [171-2], [317]
Squilache, Marquesa de, [116-7]
Sugar monopoly, [291]
Taxation, evasions of, [294]
Tobacco monopoly, [291]
Tradition, influence of, [16], [145]
Truth-telling, [61]
Universities, the, [268]
Upper classes, general character of, [32]; religion of, [40]
Vigilancia, the, [217]
War Fund, initiated by the Queen, [117] ff, [127];
contributions of workpeople to, [119]
Working classes, general character of, [14], [30];
what they read, [34];
religion of, [39] ff
Zaragoza, explosion of bombs at, [188]

The Gresham Press
UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED
WOKING AND LONDON

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The last edict of expulsion was issued in 1712.

[2] Isabella the Catholic made an order for the expulsion of the unconverted “Moors” in 1501, but a very large number of them, whether nominally Christian or not, remained until driven out by Philip III. After the massacres commanded by Philip II. in Granada, the Moriscos who were expelled from that kingdom did not apparently leave Spain, for two years later an edict was issued for their registration.

[3] What Lecky says about the seventh and following centuries might be applied to the religion of the upper classes in Spain to-day: “It is no exaggeration to say that to give money to the priests was for several centuries the first article of the moral code” (“History of European Morals,” ii. 216).

[4] I know several cases of lads of fourteen or fifteen who return after working from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the fields, to sit over their A B C and pot-hooks until they can keep their eyes open no longer, while the rest of the family look on and encourage the student.

[5] One of the various local terms for what the guide-books call olla podrida—a universal dish in Spain.

[6] Lecky, “History of European Morals,” ii. 213.

[7] Sweet cakes and patisserie, the foundation of which is generally finely grated stale bread.

[8] Two favourite sweetmeats.

[9] From the Basque ama, a mother; applied to the head servant in the house of a priest or other man living alone.

[10] Hume, “Modern Spain,” p. 550.

[11] It is said—although I repeat the statement with all reserve—that there are “parish” doctors employed by the Municipality of Madrid who refuse to prescribe for a dying child unless the mother can show her marriage certificate.

[12] “Modern Spain,” p. 563.

[13] It was stated as a fact that nineteen men in one regiment had been shot for refusing to go into action, and an Ultramontane of my acquaintance, who never reads anything but the newspapers of his own party and never travels ten miles from his own village, solemnly assured me that the tale was true!

[14] I was told at the time that many people in Madrid thought the bomb was thrown on behalf of the Pretender.

[15] The names of the monastery and of all the people concerned were given me, but I refrain for obvious reasons from publishing them.

[16] It is said that the Association of Social Defence promises its working men members a retaining fee of 3 pesetas a day should political exigencies compel them to leave their work at any time, the average labourer’s wages all over the country being from 1.50 to 2 pesetas. It has not been possible to obtain trustworthy information, either as to terms of membership or the actual numbers who have joined the league during the last twelve months, but there is evidence that it has no influence among the working classes generally.

[17] I have been told by an English friend that a Spanish acquaintance of his has, to his knowledge, lately made a substantial sum by selling arms to the Religious Orders.

[18] Most of them had been re-opened after Moret took office in October, 1909, as already mentioned.

[19] This story evidently relates to the early days of the Cuban war.

[20] This is not the only statement of the kind that I have heard.

[21] “Modern Spain,” p. 531.

[22] So clearly is this recognised on all sides, and so impossible does political honesty on the part of the rich appear to Spaniards, that the Heraldo, the leading moderate-Liberal paper, in the course of its comments on the rejection by the English House of Lords of the Budget of 1909, said that if the Lords permitted the people to vote as they pleased, this action on their part would have been justifiable, but that naturally they would take the usual means to secure the suffrages of those over whom they had control, and with the immense wealth at their command would easily influence the elections in the direction they desired.

[23] In Spain not only every city, but every town and nearly every village, has its Ayuntamiento, more or less equivalent to our town or village Council, and its Alcalde, who has a good deal more power than the Mayor of a Corporation.

[24] The peseta is the same as the franc.

[25] The sums set down in the schedules are less than those named. The tax has been increased at different times, and the additions amount in all to about 66 per cent.

[26] The Spanish dollar, value five pesetas, and counted by the poor as twenty reals.

[27] The cuarto was a little over two centimes.

[28] “History of European Morals,” Chap. IV.

[29] In a decaying town of some 15,000 inhabitants, once wealthy and prosperous, two large new buildings have been erected during the last half-century, while on all sides dwelling-houses, great and small, are falling into ruin. These are the Jesuit College and the bullring; and the people say that the one is the parent of the other.

[30] For a full account of the political parties in Spain see “The Backwardness of Spain,” by John Chamberlain. The author has an exhaustive knowledge of the country, and of many phases of society in Spain, but in my opinion he has not informed himself of the mind of the provincial and rural population. This class, if only from their numbers, cannot fail to exercise a strong influence over politics, when once they obtain the right to vote which the Constitution gives them.

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