Two things militate against good government in Spain, and will continue to do so until the whole system is changed:  what is known in the country as caciquismo, and the pernicious custom of changing all the Government officials, down to the very porter at the doors, with every change of ministry.  It is much, however, that the Government does go out in a constitutional manner instead of by a military pronunciamiento on each occasion, as in the old days; also that a civilian and not a soldier is always at the head of it.  In reality, there are two great parties in Madrid, and only two:  the Empleados and the Cesantes—­in plain English, the “Ins” and the “Outs.”  Whatever ministry is in power has behind it an immense army of provincial governors, secretaries, clerks, down to the porters, and probably even the charwomen who clean out the Government offices.  This state of things is repeated over the whole country, and there is naturally created and sustained an enormous amount of bribery and corruption, which is continually at work discrediting all governments and giving to Spanish affairs that “bad name” which, according to our old proverb, is as bad as hanging.  The Cesantes haunt certain cafes and possess certain newspapers, and the Empleados other cafes and other papers.  The “Outs” and the “Ins” meet at night to discuss their prospects, and wonderful are the stories invented at these reunions, some of which even find their way into English newspapers—­if their correspondents are not up to the ways of Spain—­for we read ludicrous accounts of things supposed to have been taking place, and are treated to solemn prophecies of events never likely to occur, even in first-class English journals.  It is naturally the interest of these subordinate employees of a vicious system to hasten or retard the day that shall see their respective chiefs change position, and if a few plausible untruths can do it, be assured they will not be wanting.  Both in the popular novels, de costumbres, and in actual life, it is the commonest thing to hear a man described as a Cesante, in the same way that we should speak of him as being an engineer or a doctor, as if being out of place were just as much an employment as any other.

One thing that appears strange to a foreigner about these Cesantes is that they never seem even to dream of seeking other employment; they simply sit down to wait until their particular patron is “in” again, and in the old days they were a constant force making for the pronunciamiento which would sooner or later make a place for them.  As they had no means of existence except when in receipt of Government pay, it is easy to understand that, according to their views, they had to prepare for the evil day which assuredly awaited them, by appropriating and exacting all the money that was possible during their short reign of power.  Probably the only difference between the highest and the lowest official was in the actual amount he was able to acquire when he was “in.”