The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-05-26

TWENTY-SIN years ago Emil
CASTELAR, was man much
talked about everywhere in the
civilized world. His role was that
of statesman who tried to bring
Spain, even Spain, into the SEM
blance and forms of republic. He was
brilliant man, brainy man-inteIli-
gent, cosmopolitan, conservative and,
as it turned out, sensible; he proved
that by what he did-he undertook to
make Spain republic and he let go
in hurry finding that it was a hope
less undertaking. He had first-rate
conception of republican institutions;
he tried, unselfshly and prudently, to
help his mother country out of trouble
at a time when Spain sorely needed
help. But he discovered that his own
enlightened views were not shared by
ar available working contingent of his
countrymen. and he gave up his re-
formatory venture in disgust.
The scandalous antics of Queen Isa-
bella proved to be more than even Mad
rid could endure. She had been pro-
claimed queen of Spain as long ago as
1888 and ten years later, she was de-
clared to be of age. Her reign was a
period of unbridled sensual indulgence.
Isabella leading the procession; it was,
as well, a reign when faction and in
trigue ran riot Serrano, Prim and
other liberals figured in the intrigues
of the times. The year 1868 witnessed
~ Ts iuht IN
France; and then SPANS trouble was
to find successor for her
Serrano was at the head of regency,
and a new constitution provided for an
hereditary king who was to rule in con-
junction with a senate and a popular
chamber. The crown was offered to
one of the HohenZollerns and, as the
reader remembers, this incident fur
nished the flirnsy pretext whereby Ma
poleon the Third precipitated the
| Franco Prussian war Finally Spain's
crown went to Amadeus, the second son
of Victor Emmanuel. He tried hard to
govern Spain but, two or three years
after his coronation, he gave it up in
disgust that was in 1873.
LIEN SdSleidI appeared Oh Tie SCtHe.
A provisional republic was formed:
CASTELAR, was it's guiding spirit. With
this movement not many of the Span
iards were in sympathy. All kinds of
| troubles We're brewing, the Carlists
threatened to raise an uproar, things
went from bad to worse, Castelars cup
of sorrow was full He abandoned his
republican scheme, and the end of the
confusion that ensued was the Access
sion of Alfonso XII, the young son of
the eXiled Isabella.
But Castelar, by no means stood dis
sraced or discredited in the eyes of the
world-on the contrary, he was kindly
his brilliant eloquence, for his ripe
scholarship and for the high order of
statesmanlike traits he displayed. Cas-
telar has been an occasional contrbu
tor to magazine and newspaper litera-
ture in this country and in Europe. He
had passed quite out of public view
when, little more than year ago, his
name was associated with what was
said and done in Spain relating to the
war, then pending, with the United
States. CASTELAR, was an ardent ad-
mirer of republican institutions, but he
was also a loyal and sturdy Spaniard
and of course, he accepted the newt
able. in fidelity to his country, al
though Spains punishment was in the
nature of retribution the coming of
which he had clearly foreseen.
many months occasional references, I'M
der Madrid date, have been made to his
| rapidly declining health. His death is
| announced this morning.