The Star. SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1910. SPAIN AND THE CHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9913, 30 July 1910, Page 6

The Star. SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1910. SPAIN AND THE CHURCH.

The cable messages we publish to-day suggest that the long-pending fight between the secularists and the Church 5n Spain is coming at last to a head. Hitherto the Church has so consistently find, unmistakably held the upper hand that the struggle of the secularists for spiritual independence has attracted comparatively little attention, but in recent years the separation of Church and State in France has inspired the Spanish agitators with hope, and has shown the world that the conditions obtaining in the Catholic countries of Europe are not unalterable. The execution of Ferrer, the educationist, last year, of course attracted world-wide attention, but the essential facts of the problem in Spain had been fairly •well advertised as far back as 1901. when there was a remarkable outcry against the Jesuits over the case of Senorita Übao. This wealthy young lady had been persuaded by her confessor to enter a oonvent, contrary to the wishes of her family. The family applied. to the High Court to secure the lady's release, and the social prominence of the parties invested the case with. special interest, so that it was discussed warmly all over the country and in foreign capitals. It revealed for the first time the extent of the anticlerical foiling in Spain. Disorders occurred in many centres, and at Barcelona a meeting of 9000 citizens, held in the bull-ring, carried resolutions in favour of the separation of Church and State, and of the; pression of the religious orders. The High Court ultimately ordered the release of the lady, and the agitation subsided. Last year, again, the execution of Ferrer caused a tremendous outcry, repeated in' this instance in Franc© and Great Britain v where Ferrer's work as an educationist had long been favourably known. Fj-om the British point of view there is need Miough' for reform. The religious or-

ders have grown to enormous size in

Spain, so muoh so that they admittedl- [ |y constitute a very grave social and economic danger. To a great extent fchey keep Spain, poor. Many of the orders are reported to engage in industries, on the profits of which tliey pay no taxes. There are said to he no'fewer than 2800 convents in one

province alone, and the number of

these institutions in all Spain is enor--1 mous. It stands to reason that the support of religious institutions in such number must be a very severe tax upon the resources of the country, and it is scarcely to be contended that the

benefits! conferred are commensurate / with the .cost. This strictly economic ■ new of the problem may not appeal to 'all critics, tut it is the one that must be taken in the interests of the country if Spain is. ever to become one of - the progressive nations of Europe. The Church has the whole work of education in its own hands, and yet Spain is one of , the most illiterate of countries. The provision for schools is .ludicrously inadequate and the teachBrs are dreadfully underpaid. There are other reasons for the growth of bhd agitationi. against'the Church, but these will serve to indicate why there is need for, reform. The present attack upon the privileges of the religious orders arises partly out of last year's agitation and partly out of the .growing necessities of the State. There has long been-an alliance between the

two main parties in politics and the

Church, under which the elections in most of the constituencies have been •regulated at will. But during the last ' few months the situation lias changed .. bo materially that the party leaders have been compelled to give way to the popular clamour for reform, and the present Ministry opened its account by \ conceding to independent religious organisations the right to public worihip. Then the Government directed. Its attention to the industrial activities nf tho religious orders, with a view to bhe taxation of profits. Tile demand 1 for the registration of such industrial concerns-has been stoutly resisted, and out of the controversy has come a ;sharp conflict between the Vatican and the Spanish Government. It is impossible hei-e to discuss this problem in all its bearings, and the most we can do is to indicate the main features of the position. The intervention of Don Jaime, now announced, suggests that the*Carlists are preparing to turn . the situation to account by throwing in their lot with the Clericals. Whether this will help the Church remains to be Been. The probability is, however, • that the loyalists will see in it a strong reason for supporting the Government.