SPANISH MINISTRY RESIGNS,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13811, 26 January 1907, Page 9

SPANISH MINISTRY RESIGNS,

RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS BILL.

DISSENSIONS AMONG THE LIBERALS. Fr»M Ajsociation-By Telegraph—Copyright. MADRID, January 25. (Received Jan. 25, at 9.10 p.m.) Dissensions among the Spanish Liberals over tho Religious Associations Bill hns caused the Cabinet to resign.

Tho bill regarding ilio Spanish religious congregations is based on the following principles:—Xo religious order will be permitted to establish itself" without tho authorisation of tho Cortes; minors cannot he members of congregations; tho State will support, with all Kβ authority, any member of a congregation who may wish to renounce his vows; the. Minister will lmvo tho power to withdraw at any time tho authorisation granted by the Cortes to any congregation which may infringe public morality or publio order; (lie Oonnoil of Ministers will immediately examine the authorisations granted to nil the communities, cancelling all ihoee which aro contrary to law; tho members of religious orders will not bo able to undertake teaching work unless they hold univeraily degrees; all associations of which tho members aro foreigners, or the directors aro resident abroad, will be dissolved; the authorities will bo able to interfere, to prevent tho confinement of monks or nuns in 'monasteries, when necessary, with or without tho authorisation of tho ecclesiastical authority; congregations will not Ire allotvej to possess property other than what is necessary to the objects for wliich| they exist; tho contributions made by members of congregations and communities will be limited, as vroll as tho revenue derived from alms, and tho donations made by living perin favour oE persons acting us intermediaries; ecvorc penalties will be exacted for any infringement of tho above regulations. TJio Bishops of Leon, Soria, ami Santander, and tho Archbishop of Valencia recently addressed to the Government a letter of protest againsli tho progress of tho anti-clerical propaganda and tho campaign conducted by tho sectarian press.