New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-07
"THE MONS TER"
SPANS PRIME MINISTER.
Az rc1Y. BRILLIANT AID WITTY MAN-HoW
THE QUEEN REGENT sNUBBED Ills
BEAUTIFUL WIFI

cooin.s new Prime Minister, Senior CanoVaS re-
,,ces in the nickname Of the Monster ana II
rust he confessed that from purely physlcai
roirt OF view he merits the sobrlGue' LOT ne Is
without exception the ugliest statesman O any
.no,,,neoce in the Old World. Short. squat, aNk-
wardlv built. q closc-cropped. scruopy muS'ache
ealing 10 conceal his irregular and discoiored
tooth coarse-featurcd and squirting violently he
ODDS N all these attributes an almost unSovern-
ohio tomper and a most undisguised and unmti-
..od contemnt for his fellovi-creatureS AS
;,t- as no is sarcastic his bon mots are as ceie-
.ro+ol ne his moriant satire Is dreaded ana no
,s &c safe from, the latter. Although ConserNa-
tive Of the most ultra type. man who would IKE
n restore TO monarchy the prerogatives wh'ch II
nossessed in the eighteenth century ne pro-
fesses the most profound disdain for rank ana
,rarent,v nays no heed to the prejulices ard
,ride Of birth OF the grandees and hidalgos or IL
,ustrfous name and lineage. Astonishing to re-
late these men. sensitive to every slight, so
ouck to take offence at anything which can be
oorstr;,ed into a dscourtesy, bear his brusqueric
and his Homerc outbursts Of passion and even
,,i+ureration with the utmost good humor and in
dulcerce protesting to regard him as their prin-
cinal bulwark against revolutionary doctrines
ora as tie savior of their caste. This Difference
accorded 10 him. which only compare with
tina, formerly paid by the British utra-Tory aris-
tocracv TO BENJAMIN Dsraeli. is even Yet more sur
nrising than was the latter Instead OF beng the
son of a distinguished littcrateur like LORD Bea-
consied, Canovas is the son of a Malaga peasant
who owes everything in life to his own indom
table energy. industry and genius OF course.
much of his success is attributable to his wonder
full powers of oratory, which stand for'h pre-
eminent in a country where all are eloquent ana
tben. too his imperious domneering ways and his
t.orif IN
ferow-men have ended by inducing the latter TO
accent him at his own valuation and to submit
almost bindly to his direction. He is not merely
the leader of the Conservative party IN Spain. but
&c boss and among his own followers and ad-
berents he neither condescends To discuss his
nocv nor to brook any hesitation In the execution
~ his commands. which. as a rule, are bilndly
obeyed. Without referring TO his puphc career at
length II will be sufficient 10 say that ne began
ura as a subordinate railway employe then tried
,ourralsn, as profession, from which h mi
grated first into law and then into politics: ana
that his name will forever be remembered In the
history Of his country that Of the man VINO
brought about the abolition of slavery IN SPAN
and her dependencies. and also as that OF Tie
statesman principally responsible for the restora
ton Of the Bourbon dynasty In 1874 Having oeeh
the leader Of the Legitmst party during the six
Queen bella and the coming to the throne OF her
son Alfonso MI. it was only natural that he
should become the latters first Prime Minister
and he may be said to have signalized the advent
Of the new regime by the repeal OF a number OF
popular prerogatves and rights that had oeen
conceded to the people by King Amadeus as We'll
as by the Republican Governments which pre-
coded and followed the brief occupancy OF the
throne by King Humbert's brother.
His patriotism, however. is above reproach'
for few weeks after the death of Alfonso MI
he surrendered Of his own accord the Premier
ship to his political opponent, Senior Sagasta- IN
the hope that the latter would be able TO group
not only the members of the left centre. out also
the Democrats and the Radicals into one great
Liberal party devoted to the defence of the dy-
nasty and 10 the support Of the monarchy. his
sacrifice Of office, as well Of the emoluments
connected Herewith. was all the more meri-
torious as he is not only passionately fond OF
mower. but also a very poor manor at least.
was so until his marriage few years ago. But
q had the effect OF preventing the members or
the extreme left from joining the Republican
faction
Although Queen Regent Christina fully rea-
Lies how much she owes TO 1.-The Monster and
admires his many qualities, il cannot be sald
that she entertains for him any OF those senti-
ments Of warm friendship and even OF affection
which she accords to SenOr Sagasta. 1t Is not
60 much a question Of politics as OF manner ana
character between the two statesmen lor'
whereas old Sagasta is most suave, gentle ana
tenderly deferential toward the Regent VINO
used 10 enjoy seeing the little King sitting upon
his knee and playing with his eyeglasses Her
Majesty can never forget the brusque ana lncoh-
sdera.e way in which Canovas behaved toward
20 har hi n.
though she was overwhelmed with grief Cano-
vas IN defiance OF the protests Of her attendants
and OF her physicians. insisted on her attending
N nerson 70 a quantity Of official business which
couId rerfectly well have waited for few days /
Nor dies the new Premier stand high In the good
g-aces OF the little King Entering the royaI
lads nresence some weeks ago, the Conservative /
leader addressed him as "Bub" the pet name |
used by his mother. This familiarity greatly
offended the eght-year-old monarch. Tor WIN an
air OF disdain he exclaimed: Il am only ''ubi
for mamma; for you I am 81 Rey ohe klng)
THIS SINH was thoroughly in keeping with one |
wbich come time previously his mother had been |
70 administer TO the beautiful and ex- |
cAedinylv proud wife OF Canovas. A daughter
q, the ilustrious and ancient house OF Puen'e y |
Soto Major Dora Joaquina. had been secretly
engaged TO him fer fifteen long. weary years
until her father the Marquis. gave MS consent
n the match. enabling her to wed the man OF
ber choice who was nearly thirty years her !
senior. During that time Of waiting she had /
been the leader OF Madrilene fashion ana the /
belle OF the Court. Indeed. even to-day IN her /
forteth year she remains with her tall ana eie-
CANT figure. cean-cut features and flashing nlack
eyes. a splendid specimen OF the spanish bru- |
nette So proud is she Of her husband ana OF
her own lineage that she scarcely condescends
10 render 10 the Queen Regent the tokens or re-
spect and courtesy customary In SPAN TINS /
has led 70 several reproofs on the part OF the .
Regent who. although kind-hearted ana III /