Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-13
DRAMA BEFORE THE THRONE
Queen Regent of Spain sOrrOwfully Takes
Leave of Her Ministers,
GIVES UP CROWN TO HER YOUTHFUL SON
Scene in Royal Palace L. FrauEht
with PRthos and queen Betrays
at speech OF
saRasta.

-
MADRID, May 12.-BrlIliant weather
today encouraged the crowds to pour out
into the streets Of the city. and every thor
oughfare was filled with merrymakers,
The appearance OF the streets was in
strong contrast to the scene which at the
same time was being enacted within the
palace. Here the f~estivlty gave place to a
drama. The queen regent Of Spain was sor-
rowfully taking leave Of her ministers and
practically relinquishing to her son the
solemn charge which she has SO faithfully
fulfilled for. the last sixteen and a half
years. Premier Sagasta and his colleagues
proceeded to the palace at IL O'Clock this
morning for a formal leave-taking Of the
queen regent, and to present for her ma
iesty's signature the last decree to
which her hand and seal will ever be at
Fixed as regent OF Spain.
When the queen regent withdrew her pen
from the parchment comforting the order Of
the Golden Fleece upon the duke OF Cumber-
land her eyes were moist. Her regency
really terminated at this time, although
until the king takes the oath In the pres
enee of the chambers May II his mother re-
mains officially the queen regent.
o. Pathetic Scene Presented.
1t was a pathetic scene when the minis
ters we're ushered into the queen regents
cabinet. She received them with the young
king at her side. Premier Sagasta, In an
eloquent address Of leave-taking delivered
in behalf Of himself and his colleagues, re-
called the day when the queen regent, fresh
from the grief of her ~widowhood, honored
him with her confidence, although she
scarcely knew him. He compared that day
to this, when the young king, with his de-
voted mother at his side. was about to enter
upon an exercise Of his constitutional pre-
rogative,-
II was. prime minister then, and I am
prime minister, now" said Senior Sagasta.
During the, almost seventeen interven-
ing years. continued the speaker, 'the
noble queen regent has been a slave to duty.
She has. sacrificed her youth to the jealous
guardianship of her children. She has suf-
fered much. but her majesty finds compen-
sation today in the happiness of the king"
Turning to the king, Senior Sagasta COM
pared the difficulties which confronted him
today with the situation at the death of the
late king, his father.
Spain Faces Brighter Era.
"The present difficulties" said the pre-
mier, ARE not insurmountable Spain has
not progressed as much as might be de-
sired, stii she has nade substantial prog
ress. Peace and tranquility have been Sc
cured, the ere of military pronounciamentos
is past and the attention Of the people is
conferred In education and labor"
Premier Sagasta said also he hoped the
new reign would have greater achieves
ments and give greater blessings to the
nation than the preceding reign,
The queen regent listened to Senior Sa-
gasta with, increasing emotion. Finally,
with, tears running down her cheeks, she
responded and thanked him.
Her majesty said that however short of
her own ideals she might have fallen, she
always had the welfare of the country sim
cerelyi at heRrt-and had done. what she could
to repay the, loving kindness always shown
her. She, said she hoped the councillors
would help her son as they had helped her,
because, although the king might possess
natural gifts, he was still young and needed
the help Of good advice.
Queen Wants Simple Ceremony.
Then, after signing the decree fixing the
eeremonial' of taking the oath for May II,
the queen regent announced her desire to
modify this ceremonial. Her majesty said
that on May II her governmental functions
would cease and she would then become
simply the queen dowager, Jealous for the
"eh"Io y ui Shiiuleu' put sIahulhs aus
solutely aside from public affairs. There
fore her majesty explained that she de-
sired Ito go to the chamber accompanied
solely by her daughters as the widow or
the late monarch, without ostentation and
receiving only the honors due her personal
rank. asr ft3 :,-
Premier Sagasta respectfully replied that
the ministers were unable to accede to her
majesty's desire in this matter, because
until the king took the oath she was still
the regent and ought to accompany her son
until the last solemn moment.
The queen regent yielded to Premier Sa-
gasta's presentations and agreed to &C.
company the king TO the steps OF the
throne. -" .: