Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-04-27


something for spain which the fepup-
llcans and also the Carlists construe as
opportunity"
senior Praxades Mateo Sagasta, the
Oldest statesman IN Europe ana dean
of European premiers. has been In and
out OF power more times than he has
fingers on both hands, but he has al
ways been at heart monarch'st ana
generally on the side Of the strongest
party. 1t Is doubtful however, If even
this experienced leader of men, TINS
old time reyoutionst and past master
in diplomacy, can stem the tide that is
now rising around the throne OF Spain
and threatening to engulf 1t.
Most Spanards, Notwithstanding
their adherence to ancient traditions
and profound respect for monarchical
Institutions, are variable and incon'
slant They are, moreover, brave to
rashness, though easily stampeded by a
valiant enemy Latterly the Spanish
people have been thinking--a process
hitherto restricted, If not absolutely de-
MED them as a peope-and the result
Of their cogitations apparently has been
the recognition of their foolishness In
Keeping In power a mere boy, son OF
that foreign woman" as they call
Queen Regent Christina, merely for
sentiments sake.
The life Of the present prime minister,
Sagasta, who Is now a, presents In
eptome the past so years Of turmoils
and revolutions-monarches, republics,
regencies-which have succeeded each
other In his unhappy country. He has
fought as reyoutionist in civil wars,
ne has twice been forced TO take refuge
in France he has been editor Of Radi-
cal newspaper, and he has been at the
head Of Liberal cabinets; once by a
hairs breadth escaped being massacred
once again condemned to die by the gar
rote, II Is now apparently an even
chance whether he may be eventually
hailed as his country's savior or be
hailed before another tribunal and again
lind his life in peril
These elections will decide for n sea-
son what will be SPANS form Of gov
eminent In the near future. Some pre-
dict the formation Of republic, with
some one OF the few great men Spain
still can boast at the helm; others say
that the result viii be a despotism un-
der that monster Of inlquity, General
Weyler, who despite the unspeakable
atrocities he committed In cuba and the
severity with which he has crushed in
clpient rebellions in Spain, probably
has the army at his back.
The sentiment that has hitherto sus.
talned the precarious tenure Of Alfonso
XIII, the boy king, 10 the throne and
retention of his foreign born mother as
regent received severe shock by the
recent marriage of his sister Maria
de las Mercedes, to Carlos Bourbon
Caserta, himself son OF a pretender and
considered as an enemy Of Spain, As
the heiress presumptlve, the lnfanta
Maria Mercedes would succeed to the
throne upon Alfonso's death, and as he
is a weakly youth Of 10 born May II,
1856 there is a dynastic eyentuality
impending which the proud Spaniards
do not like TO contemplate.
Alfonso then, 1t is declared, is not Sc
riously considered as a factor should
revolution result from the May cleo
lions, He is stlll the legitimate heir Of
his father and of his grandmother, the
notorious Isabella H. who is now llv-
ing In Paris enshrouded IN n dubious
atmosphere, The Spaniards have no
love for mis- mother Queen Christina,
although she Is an estimable woman
and has administered the government
wisely according 70 her lights. But she
Is at best a frivolous creature and Is
noted more for changing her finger
rings OF which she has nearly 300, at
least six times a day than for her sa.
gacity as a sovereign.
The present rulers OF Spain are even
TO the bigoted and sentimental Span
iards, wholly inadequate to the situation
and totally lacking in the elements Of
leadership the sovereign should possess
today more than at any other time In
SPANS history. These failing, there
are millions Of men in Spain who are
casting their glances northward. scan.
ming the Basque provinces for the
emergence Of one whom they at least
consider in the light of hero. This
expected one, who in their opinion, IL
the real heir TO the throne, Is none 9TH
er than the present representative OF,
the Carlists, who have asserted their
claims for nearly 70 years. They base
them, first, upon the divine right Of
kings 20 rule the country over which.
In the wisdom Of Providence, they have
been placed second upon the fact that
their claimant is the regal representa-
tive OF Charles ", the king VINO reign
ed at the end Of the last century.
II is an old story and has been told
many times yet there occur intervals
between the Carlist rIsings in or inva-
sions Of Spain long enough for the gem
eral reader 20 forget their claims and
for the features Of the claimants to be-
come dim, II not oblterated. This Is
sufficient excuse for briefly narrating
the story Of the Carlists. who now loom
so portentously as factors In Spanish
politics OF the near future.
The trouble dates from a period two
centuries agone when, about 1900, the
war Of the succession was inauguratcd.
owing TO the rival claims OF Archduke
Charles Of Austria and the Duke Of An
jou, grandson Of Louis XIV OF France.
whom Charles II Of Spain had appoint
cd his successor. II was a war that
eventually involved all Europe, but
ended In l1l3 IN the triumph Of the
Duke Of Aniou, who is known TO hsto-
ny as Philip " II was he, the first OF
Spanish Bourbons, who introduced the
famous Sale law. by which females
were excluded from succession 10 the
throne Of Spain. This measure was
contrary to Spanish custom and prece.
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