The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-10-13
THE KING OF SPAIN.

shares in common with all the men Of
the House of Hapsburg. Durins TIE ma
noeuvers held at Carabane bel IN Nay the
young King remained seven hoLrs in the
saddle without exhibiting any symptoms
of fatigue and his personal staff no
ticed that even prolonged canter did
nothing 10 weaken his voice. When the
DAYS work was over he was as AMI
mated as he was at the beginning. This
Is excellent news for Spain as far as Il
goes. but il does not go far enough II
is almost inevitable that the young Kins
should have the seeds Of cons urnption
in his blood. and Madrid IS VIGOROUSLY
the worst city IN Europe for people with
a tendency 70 lung trouble. He y al
ready handicapped by MS responsible
ties. An English lad at fifteen years,
whatever his position. would not be car
rying half the load OF knowledge borne
by Alfonso NH. He speaks English.
French, and German as We'll as Spanish.
has had careful mathematical train
ing. is a student of history and is de-
voted 10 military matters. For a boy his
knowledge Of the elements OF military
science is quite uncommon.
A very robust body. free from all ten
dency TO illness, might carry this load;
the slight figure Of the young King sug-
gests the need for less strenuous effort.
When next year he takes Office and be-
comes at least the nominal head Of the
state. how viii he endure the additional
burden? Apart from the sentiment Of
sympathy with a lad who Is called upon
TO undertake a task so onerous as that
of Spanish rule. the question appeals 10
Spain from the Pyrenees to Andalusia
The health of the King and the conse-
quent tranquility of the state are mat
tiers OF the first Importance to the coun-
try. A strong, healthy King can give
the land the period Of repose that viii
enable IL TO develop its internal resources.
fine occupation for its growing pOpula-
ton outside the corrupt world OF onicial-
dom, amend its educational defects. out
grow Carlism, and become once more a
power 10 be recl1oned with. The reverse
of the picture is not pleasing An in
valid director of a state, whose various
factions are like an unruly horse that
must be ridden on the curb cannot ful-
I'LL his duties. and If anything happened
TO him the Princess of the AstIrias would
become Queen Of Spain. and her husband.
Carlos de Bourbon, Prince of Austria
would become King Consort Against
such development the old unquiet ele-
ments in Spain would rise up again. The
possibility Of ii is said to have brought
Senor Sagasta into temporary opposition
with the Queen Regent, when the cues
ton Of the marriage was first mooted.
When Alfonso XIII comes to his own
he viii be entirely dependent for some
time at least upon the advice and guild
ance OF the people who have the power
in their hands today They say in
Madrid that government viii he largely
in the hands of the Queen-mother. Senior
Sagasta, and the Duke of Tetuan. de-
scendant OF the Red ODonneu of Ulster
The last-named statesman is an adherent
to a Conservative regime that accepts
neither the absOlutisn OF the Carlist pro-
gramme nor the somewhat watered Con-
servatism Of Senior Silvela; he refuses an
office, and Will not reconcile himself To
any compromise. He is an enlightened
statesman not the less and will place his
best efforts at the disposal of the Queen
Regent, who has always succeeded in at
tracing to her service the most sustain
ing elements in the country. With states
men who desire no more than the pro-
gress of Spain, and a mother whose life
has been marked by most rigid devotion
to duty the young King will start upon
his work well equipped 1t will be well
for the country if his advisers succeed /
in impressing upon him the necessity Of
refraining from experiments of every
sort. SPANS partial recovery has been
due to her wise handling by statesmen
who have been rather unjustly deemed
opportunists.
If the young King becomes a reaction
airy he viii arouse the Radicals and
s'lA tiiS TIC ! tllt INtbAtitGdLSs IT lie SHOWS
too much zeal for reform he viii weaken
the allegiance of the Conservatives and
strengthen the Carlists They say IN
Madrid that his best policy lies IN a con-
tinuation of the existing order Of things
and devotion 10 such works as the i'm
proVement OF the financial situation the !
of some less direct method /
Of taxation for the Octroi duties the
maintenance of army efficiency. the crea-
ton OF small navy on the most mod I
ern lines, and the granting Of such con-
cess1ons 10 democracy as the Spanish 4
official mind can accept without offense /
1t is not very heroic programme. nor is I
1t one that can appeal very strongly 10 1
a young, enthusiastic, ambitious ruler /
In view of the widespread interest in 1
Aiionso Nil, and the way IN which /
Spanish and British Mediterranean pou- /
tics seem destined to unite in the near
future, 1 was at pains 10 discover what I
could about the young Kings charaSter I
ana temperament during recent visit IN 1
Spain. / sought for details in several /
clues from varied sources. and received /
some Information without being able 10 4
obtain permission TO publish IT, The sum
OF what l heard presents Alfonso XIII. /
IN the light OF high-spirited. proud hoy.
who has been trained to a proper appre- ]
citation of the difficulties lying before him.
but IS inclined TO minimize them because (
he retains something of the old belief I'm
the divine right Of kings. Certain at 1
tempts have been made to reconcile some
Of the discontinued elements OF Spain 10
the Alfonsits party, and the King has
been or necessity prominent party In
The movements. They have not been
the irreconcilables remained
obdurate. but the young ruler carried
himself bravely through some unpleasant
experiences. and recalled the bearing OF
IL "a nh = uF.-
face. Down 70 the present Spain has not
been much favorably disposed TO him
because Of his absence from the bull-ring I
-auromachy being an institution n which
Queen Christina will make no couces-
5ions. He has been 20 the Plaza a. To-
-os now. and MS subjects are better
pleased, but &c IS unlikely that he VIII I
develop .nto "A patron o. the national
amusement.
Some people in Madrid declare that Al
'onso XII. Is an Ultramontanist. and
hat the grip Of the Latin Church viii
tighten on Spain so soon ss he ~ firmly
established. They point % the Ceserta
marriage ard 20 the absence Of anti
Clerical legislation. 20 the very friendly
citations between the Vatican ard the
spanish Court and 70 the known sympa-
ny Of the Queen-m8Lher Tor the Church
II Rome This alleged tendency IS q
considerable factor ia strengthening the
Republican party. and I vas assured in
Madrid that on matters he deemed his
'wn the King would yield 70 no party
however exigent Il che army is friendly
Alfonso can 60 FAR. and the powerful
generals ere already delighted with ths
vsv in which their royal master devotes
himself u the study af military aIairs
London Daily Mail
John Anderson. nv 10.
John Anderson. ny r.. John.
AFhcr We were frat acQUslE-,
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