THE SPANISH POLITICIAN

New Zealand Tablet, 17 April 1913, Page 17

THE SPANISH POLITICIAN

The Christian manner in which the ex-Premier, Don Sigismundo Moret, died has been made public by the press. He was a man ox singular intelligence and culture, a distinguished orator, a parliamentarian and political leader 01 eminent prestige in the Liberal party, lie was remarkable for his anti-clerical tendencies, and, in point of fact, Spain owes him more injuries than benefits. His character, environment, ana education led him into extreme and dangerous theories and policies, and into the futile and contradictory endeavor to harmonise with Catholic principles all the racial and secularising aspirations of the time (writes Isorberto Torcal in America). Without consulting the genius of his own country, he was fascinated by what he conceived was done elsewhere, and so aimed at introducing into Spain the laws, customs, and so-called reforms existing abroad. In matters of religion his obsession was to imitate the state of things in the United States. When, three or four years ago, he initiated and headed the movement of secularisation, preaching m Saragossa and Valladolir the formation of the bloc of the Lefta political and parliamentary union of extremistsagainst what he called reactionary ideas, he based his discourse on detached texts of Archbishop Ireland, Cardinal Gibbons, and even Pope Leo XIII., sustaining the theory that all- modern arrangements called 'liberties' are perfectly compatible with the teaching of the Church. I repeat, however, that Moret was not a sectarian or advocate of impiety of the type of Combes or Clemen He was an ill-balanced visionary like his fellow-townsman Castelar: both were born in Cadiz. That he was a man of Catholic faith is shown in his death. Aware that death was near, he confessed with great signs of sincerity and repentance, received Holy Communion and the other spiritual subsidies of the dying, and repeating the words of the psalm, My heart is ready, O Lord,' he yielded up his soul to his Creator. Amongst us here in Spain this is usually the end of the anticlericals, and even of the Jacobins. We may say of Spanish anticlericalism, as of Spanish Protestantism, that it is a handy thing to live in, but bad for death. You will scarcely believe that the late Senor Canalejas was, in private life, not only a Catholic to all appearances, but almost devout. Countless similar examples could be cited, not exclusive of Spanish Freemasons. Anticlericalism in our country is just a mask, or a political platform, a means of advertising, a policy to acquire or retain political power. The majority of our politicians who advocated the laicisation, ox entire secularisation, of the schools, have their children in schools taught by religious. And those who declaim most loudly against monks and nuns, have valued friends and even spiritual directors amongst them. Those who break off official relations with the Vatican, and treat the Holy See with scant respect, often belong to pious associations, and even communicate frequently. The evil is that tho unthinking masses take the mask for reality, and are driven to such deeds as were witnessed in Barcelona in July, 1909.