Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-05-25

People Have NO sympathy LOT
the Queen Regent and Take More
Intesest in Bull Fights Than in
the War.
New York, Map PA dispatch to
the Herald from Madrid says: The sit
uation in Spain is much more serious
than it is generally said to be. Black
clouds are gathering over the peninsula
and it win be impossible to avoid the
storm, which will burst with terrible
effect and sweep away everything IN
it's path Such at least is the impress
sion which l have formed after stop
ping here nearly a month, and after
numerous conversations with highly
placed personages belonging to the
court, the government and paliament,
and with tradesmen and middle class
people.
When Spaniards are spoken of, prom
inence is always given to the sincere
patriotism which supports and ami
mates them under the existing cir
cumstances. do not mean to deny the
patriotism of the Spaniards, but it
should not be vaunted to excess, for in
Madrid, for example, the fluctuations
of the war interest the inhabitants less
than the next bull fight or the drawing
of the national lottery.
But the great question which will
evidently cause the revolutionary
movement of which I have spoken is
that Of bread.
THE BREAD QUESTION
has already led to sanguinary conflicts
in some towns. Spain is just now pass
ing through a very serious economic
crisis 1t is the result of an extraor-
binary rise in exchange on France,
which one day reached lis per cent.
Taking advantage of the exchange
French and Belgian corn factors have
bought up all the wheat in Spain,
which they at once exported, realizing
Cortes passed bill forbidding the ex-
port Of cereals the stock of corn and
wheat had already crossed the frontier,
leaving Spain without food for her own
people. 1t, therefore, became necessary
to buy flour abroad at ruinous prices
to use for immediate needs.
What will happen? The people al
ready in such straits will inevitably join
the numerous political and other NAL
contents, and the result may very we'll
be civil war. After this revolution,
which the army will be powerless to
put down, will Don Carlos come into
power, or will republic be proclaim
ed? 1t is very difficulty to prophesy
on this point. 1t is certain, however,
that the queen regent does not enjoy
much peace among the people. She is
blamed for following the advice Of her
mother, when a difficulty arises, and
that she too ostentatiously surrounds
herselfs with cardinals and bishops,
who are sovereign masters at court
Spaniards also blame
THE QUEEN REGENT
for always remaining In retirement
when there is question of her presence
at any great fete. They do not know
her and consequently can have no sym
pathy for her.
The young king is never in question.
An Andalusian Senator, who is an out
aud out royalist, said to me: "The
queen regent began by losing the
friendship of her people, and then lost
their sympathies. Now, she is on the
way to lose their respect"
The queen regent was not present at
the patriotic Gran Coreida," the re-
ceipts from which were destined for the
national subscription, the other day,
because she feared hostile demonstra-
ton, which would certainly have oc-
Cured had she passed through the
streets.
AS regards the war, the people do not
entirely share the opinion of the queen
and the Philippines would cause the
Spanish people to rejoice. Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines were three
mich cows of the ruined grandees Of
Spain, and the Spanish people were over
whelmed with taxation to keep them up.
Let the Americans rid us of Cuba and
the Philippines. 1t would be the greatest
good they could do us They ought to
have been given to them without war"
This is what / have heard at least
TWO HUNDRED TIMES
from the mouths of Spanish people, and l
am convinced that an immense majority
think this now.
In government circles there is conyfc-
ton that Europe will intervene and this
is the last hope which seems to keep them
up. Senior Gamazo alone thinks that sucb
Intervention is not to be counted upon.
They are waiting without knowing
whittier they go in this lamentable situ
tion--war abroad and threat of revolution
at home.
Who will be the sevior? Will 1t be Gen
Weyler. whose atrocities in Cuba have
not alienated the malcontents? Will it be
Senior Salmeron? Will it be Don Carlos
who, I have been told, has never been so
near he throne as now, and whose parti-
sans i-row daily more numerous and more
powerful? Will it be republic or new
monaE chy? No one can predict, but the
movenY ent against the queen regent has