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Show SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. Catholic Centre Party Founded in Latter Lat-ter Country to Defend Interests. (Cor. Philadelphia Catholic Standard.) Madrid, April 2. It seems an amazing amaz-ing thing that Catholic Spain should join hands with the enemies of the church in Europe and combine with France to persecute the religious orders, or-ders, yet this is exactly what may happen hap-pen in the most Catholic country of Europe. Sagasta, president of the liberal lib-eral ministry, has declared war against the religious associations. The holy see has protested energetically against the proposition of the ministry to expel the orders, and has brought to bear against the proposition all the influence at its command. The heroic queen, ever loyal to the holy see, la personally opposing op-posing the measure. She is backed by the court and a considerable portion of the population. The clergy and the Catholics are united and determined to resist step by step the persecution of the orders, and the traditions of the country make success probable. The Carlists, faithful to their policy of opportunism, stand neutral awaiting any advantage that may accrue to them from the mistakes of the monarchy. mon-archy. They look with equanimity upon the troubles of their country and care not how Spain may be rent asunder, asun-der, so that grist is brought to their revolutionary mill. What is apparent to every observer Is that there is a very .dangerous leaven of anarchy and revolution in Spain at the present time. The nation is today gravely menaced by the anarchistic an-archistic and disaffected elements of the population in the large cities. The riots in Barcelona, with their startling incidents suggesting outright revolution, revolu-tion, are a sample of what may happen hap-pen in other parts of Spain under like conditions. The pope has appointed Mgr. Rinal-dini Rinal-dini apostolic unncio at Madrid to represent rep-resent him at the coronation of Alfonso Al-fonso XIII. It is the desire of his holiness holi-ness that the greatest honor be shown to the Spanish coronation on the part of the Vatican. The function will be a very grand affair, and will be surrounded sur-rounded with all the historic royal Spanish magnificence. The holy see "in enter into the coronation ceremonies ceremo-nies con amore, fo the ceremony will recall brilliant memories of the past when the Spanish diadem gleamed with a radiance that the crowns of Europe paled before. The stories relative to the young king's health and constitution are wholly unfounded. He is as strong as the average youth, and his training' has been anything but sybaritic. His heroic mother has built all her hopes ' upon the royal youth for whom at her request the pope stood sponsor at baptism, bap-tism, and there is reason to believe that these hopes will not prove unfounded. un-founded. The virus of Freemasonry has permeated per-meated the body politic of Portugal as well as Spain, menacing the monarchy and the public peace. There are grave signs of dissolution in the Institutions of the country. There, as well as in Spain, the enemies of religion are carrying car-rying on a crusade against the religious reli-gious orders. The danger of the movement move-ment is thoroughly appreciated by the hierarchy of Portugal and the monarchy, mon-archy, and strenuous measures are being taken to stem the rising tide of anti-clericalism. The definitive triumph of the Freemasons in Franc and their bold aggressiveness in Spain have had the effect of stimulatinc- th c of Portugal to strenuous efforts V ' 1 ' tional centre party 'has l..-..t, fi n-i. j the chamber to defend th- i:;;..,.".?' ': g the church and to contest s''' of ground with the enemy. ' '"'-a |