The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-24

erything has been subordinated. She is
shrewd enough to realize the extent to
which the safety of her boys crown is
involved in the present crisis with the
United States, and that the people, with
their tendency to revile everything for
eign. are only too much disposed TO place
upon her shoulders, as an alien, the blame
for the present situation.
Perhaps she hoped to disarm hostility
by this piece Of ma gnifCent generosity,
which is calculated to move every hi
dalgo with any spark of chivalry or pa
triotism in his breast, especially as the
applications by the government for
financial assistance in every other quar-
ter had been repulsed in a fashion singu-
larry CALLING to people so proud and SEN
sitivc as the Spaniards. That she has
strengthened the position of her son and
of herself in the hearts of the people by
thus opening her purse strings ii is i'm
possible to deny. and a reaction has set in
in her favor which has considerably di-
minished that at one moment very strong
probability of her dynastic overthrow.
Her conduct in the matter is contrast
ed with that of Don Carlos, who. possess
ed of fortune of close upon $50, 900, 900,
upon which there are practically no calls,
has not contributed a single peseta to-
ward the defense of the country. although
he is very loud and eloquent in his de-
clare war against the United States at
once for the sake of safeguarding the
honor and dignity of the nation.
His behavior however, in this respect,
is fully in keeping with his recent refu-
sal to contribute anything toward Car
list rising, ntimating that he preferred
that ii should be his followers 1nd his
adherents who should bear me expense
Of the insurrection, for which he would
give them notes payable only in the event
of it's success. 1t was likewise in accord
ance with his refusal to tender any kind
of financial assistance to his former fol-
lowers and adherents who had sacrificed
everything for his sake and whom he ac-
tually permitted to die in want and exile
while he himself is living in Oriental
luxury at Venice.
On the other hand il was just what
one would have expected from the we'll
known deicacy ot the queen regent that
she should have insisted upon her action
IN advancing the money, remaining I'M
known for a time. The cabinet of
course. was aware of 1t. But ii was not
until Monday that the matter was al
lowed to leak out, probably by the Pre-
mier, who had become alarmed by the
growth or animoSltN toward the queen
during the past few DAYS, and viii III
Sagasta wished 10 check before it result
ed in any rising against either the re-
gent or the dynasty If this was his OBJ
ject, the old statesman has certainly sue
ceeded. True. there is nothing about it
in the newspapers yet, but it is the talk
of every club and place of public resort
in the city, and people are partly thun-
derstruck with surprise and admiration,
pronouncing Christmas action as very
chic, and are a little bit ashamed of
themselves for having manifested such
a lack of good will toward her.
The censor has suddenly become very
strict, but only with regard to the dis
patches received in Madrid from TIE
United States, having presumably re-
ceived instructions from the Premier TO
stop, as far as possible, the publication
of all the warlike utterances of the Amer
lean press, which might tend to exasper-
ate the people. No severity Is shown,
however, now to the outgoing dispatches
or IN connection with dispatches dated
from European capitals. Sagasta's course
was especially dictated by the repetition
In the Madrid press of the threats made
in the American newspapers that the