New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-30
QUEEN CHEISTiN.1'S ILLNESS.


Queen CHHISTiNdS ILLNESS.
King Alfonso XIII of Spain occupies a
unique position among the crowned monarchs
of the Old World. on account of the peculiar
circumstances of his birth as well as by reason
of his tender years, so that his welfare has be-
come a subject of friendly interest in this coun-
try, not alone to our juvenile population. but
also in many cases to their parents. II IS
therefore with feelings Of sympathy that a
number of the readers of TIE TRIBUNE will
| have learned through the recent cable dis
patches from Madrid that his widowed mother
who. is Regent, has administered the govern
mcnt of his Kingdom for nearly eight years
with 50 much prudence and sagacity is dan
gcrously i'll, and that her only hope of recovery
is based upon the predetermined success of an
operation which is justly regarded as one of
the most dangerous in modern surgery. Her
death at the present juncturc could not but be
disastrous To the interests Of her son. No one
but mother such as Queen Christina could
supply the fond and constant care and dcvo-
ton which are Indispensable to a child 50 deli
cate as the DO, King. No one else could APP
peal 50 strongly 10 all those sentiments of
| chlvalry that constitute the most attractive
trait of the Spanish character, and which have
contributed much to arrest for the nonce
all warfare against the throne: and above all,
no one else could direct the affairs of the
Kingdom with so much Enlightenment and
libcrality as Queen Christina.
Although by birth member of the Imperial
house Of Austria. the least amcnablc of all
dynaStcS to progressive ideas. and reared at
the Count of Vienna. where the very atmos-
phcrc is rcdolent Of the medieval era. yet
Queen Christina has distinguished herself
above all The other princes and princcsscs of
the Spanish royal fam, by her readiness to
accept democratic doctrines and ideas. Not
that these represent her personal tastes in mat
tiers polite. But she is clever enough to per-
ccivc that it is only D.! sailing with the ire
s,tiblc tide of democracy that she can hope
to preserve intact the sovereignty which she
holds in trust until her sons majority Under
her rule many enlightened reforms have been
enacted, and her fayoritc councillor. her most
trusted adviser and her prcScn; Premier, is
the leader of the Liberal party. Senior Sagasta.
who. with the object Of consolidating the mon
ach' has with >ingulai >hIcWdnc>> included
in his Ministerial programme nearly all the
demands put forward b! the ItIa Radical and
Republican parties. thcrcb! assuring himself.
if not of their support. AZ any rate of their
abstontlon from any cndcavor 10 ovcIturn the
present regime
In the event Of the death Of Queen Chris
tina the Regency viii dcvolyc upon the In
fanta Isabella Oldest sister of the late King
and the widow of the cN- King of Napcs's cpl
lcpic brother. the Count Of ,,irgcnl The
Ir,, 90. L
Christmas liberal policy. and has a. great
faith in the Conservative leader. CanovaS IA
her royal >istcrin-Iaw Place, in SagaSta. Twice |
during the last seven years has Canoyas
brought the country T. the verge of revolution
by his rCacfiOn1ry methods Of government and |
each time the crisis has been aycrtcd at the |
last moment by the Queen Regent di>missing
him in cider 10 make way for the advent 10 |
Office of the Liberal leader Saga>ta Princess
l>abclla> accession To the Regency would en- !
tail therefore. the return 10 power Of CanovaS |
aud the revival of all that Republican and |
CarliSt agitation against the throne which !
characterized his last administrations.
The people Of Spain. and not alone the pco- /
pie, but also the parish clergy throughout the |
land, are essentially democratic at heart and
having been initiated b, Sagasta into Liberal |
doctrines, will be unwilling to permit either
the Princess Regent or ScnOr CanoVas To de
privc them Of their newly won Liberties and
prcrogativcs or to reduce them once more to
that state Of political noncntity which used
formerly 10 cause foreigners to assert with
some justice that Spain was AT least "A century
behind every other country in Europe Re-
markedly strong minded. bgotcd, and pos
scsscd of all that obstinacy for which the
members Of the house of Bourbon are ccc-
bratcd the lnfanta Isabella would soon find
herself face to face with a republican rcvoIu-
ton and the only means by which she might
possibly be able to save her little ncphcw'S
throne would be by surrcndcring the Office of
Regent Of Spain t. her younger and infinitely
more popular, a> well rs more democratic sis
ter our recent charming visitor bona Euac