The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-29
THE SITUATION IN SIP AIN.
A Touch OF the True Inwardness of
Affairs in that Chaotic Country.

ALFONSO OF AGE AND AT HOME.
THE PEOPLE INDIFFERENT AND THE WAL
OPERATIONS COOLING DowN-NATIoNAL RE
LATroNs TO CUBA AND THE UNITED STATES
The Madrid correspondent of tho New
York Herald thus sums up the situation In
Spain: "If there is anything that the read
ing world wants more than another" sale
an ex-minister to me yesterday, set Is trutl
about Spain." And he was right. TIL,
frigid breezes from the Pyrenees have chilled
the air OF old CASTLE to degree not equallec
for years past, and the same frost that hai
brought down the oranges has put mp the
price of substitutes for drafted patriots
The prospect of winter among the sIeei
and rain of the Basque Province causes the
patriotic pulse of many young hidslRo to
beat much slower than sense of duty
would dictate. But there are so many
other things Gin the air" that It is difficult
TO choose ones subject. The breeze
which played about the palace this after.
noon, during the mostaugust congratulstion
OF the young king upon reaching his eigh-
teenth year, was savored as much with
diplomacy and bogus homage as garlic and
bad tobacco. The whole proceeding was in
teresting as showing the grand total OF
SPANS nobility and the amount OF gold
lace and number OF decorations which IL is
possible for single worthy breast to carry.
Tall men, short men, gross and petite, pat
tered along the halls, up the stsircases, an
then slipped down and away again. But In
all the vast, not Indifferent crowd which
surrounded the palace, there were many
curious thoughts visible on faces here aud
there. In my hearing one faithful subject
asked, without a shadow of treason or desire
for change in his voice, but in matter OF
course way: "How long will this state of
thing last?" This brings us to the consid-
Grafton OF several important considerations
which must more or less affect the tenure OF
the young king and the relations between
America and Spain.
SHADES OF sTATECRAFT.
1t has been asserted, denied and again re-
affirmed that Don Alfonso will early take
the field in person at the head of the loyal
forces to crush out Don Carlos in the North.
The announcement was only the offspring
of the wish with the people, and for the time
they forgot their burdensome taxes, their
conscriptions, their exiled friends, and,
worst of all, their deferred elections, in the
hope that peace would be restored and that
the greater evils from which they suffered
would right themselves. But now IL seems
almost certain that, however the king may
now be forced to act, the promise OF the
royal presence was only ministerial ruse
to settle a very Troublesome and grave
political question. The anxiety of Martinez
Campos and Quessda to have the question
decided as to whose should be the honor
of restoring peace and OF bringing to
an end the disastrous war In the North
forced upon the ministry the necessity of de-
Gliding which Of the two should be captain
general of the Spanish troops. This was a
decision the king could not afford to make
at this juncture of affairs. The time was
most inOpportune; the ministry might have
"split" upon this issue; and small as the
question seems 1t was dangerous. The dit
ferences OF opinion might have been greater,
might have been less, than was actually be-
lieved, but it was counted on that division
would certainly occur. At this time the
Alfonso government can not risk even q
small division of its vitality. So statecraft,
that misused word which is synonymous
with anything from courtly boot-licking to
down right assassination, was employed.
1t was announced that the young king, as
fine young lad as ever carried cigar in
the corner of his mouth, would take the
field in November. Then the pressure of
his majesty's departure until December and
already see that be Is not likely to get of
before January. Meanwhile
THE WAR LAGs
and the generals whoiare fighting in the
somebody will get tired. The result, how
ever, is indispu.able, the question as to who
shall be captain general Is settled for the
and an accident or diptheria
may complete the good work of wise states
men. believe 1t was Schiller who promul-
gated this scheme when he wrote: "There
can be no jealously between the king and
rs, for he is over us al. The general impress
ion among the Spsnisrds, as gathered at
the cafes, seems to be that the king will
merely take the field to see the end. This
will give him all the prestige of victorious
sovereign. 1t is only 20 hours by rail from
here to the seat Of war, and Herald special
train could do 1t in eight hours
without any difficulty. So may special
bearing the king. The sudden and serious
illness OF Don Carlos, OF which there is no
longer ground for doubt, may end the war
even sooner than mortal prophecy can guess.
If there is any role in which L dislike to sp-
pear 1t is that OF political prophet. Ex-
perience teaches that 1t Is very uncertain
and precarious way of earning either repu-
tation or money, even In America, where
the blood of the nation runs smooth and
cool; but here in Spain am doubly certain
that it would be the most absurd employ
ment man could engage in. Tomorrow
NAV see Madrid In q state of revolution; a
week may see either a new republic or the
present kiDg-despite the doubts expressed
on every hand-firmly seated on the throne.
/ do not desire to be regarded as
speaking in the light of prophecy, but as
one who, having mixed with the elements
Of all parties, knowing no distinction, writes
what he has seen and heard. Although
am aware that the American question is of
more immediate interest 70 your readers
han the present confused state of political
affairs here, L beg to be allowed to speak
first of Spain, as indicating what events at
nome may produce certain results in the re-
stions of the peninsula with the outside
world.
A GRAND NATIONAL DIFFICULTY.
However soon the war shall end the gov
srnment of Spain will find itself confronted
BY q great issue which will require i'm
mediate and decisive action. refer TO the
which, having been from time to
lime postponed without any excuse salts.
factory to the people, are now clsmored for
In every hut and cafe and at every street
corner. The masses, overburdened with
taxoa Iiah1a In Va tod of onu bNnrta