New-York tribune., 1902-05-14
I5tPJt CHPISTTN4 or SPAIN.

The central figure i'm the weeks august tcS-
tiviticS at Madrid is uomnaIy the young King
He takes precedence over all others. and, as
the man Of The future. ne bears upon himself
the hopes of the nation. In point of sentiment
however. and of approved worth. ther" is I" the
thoughtful bcholdrr one who outrankS th" King
II is the Queen Regent. There is no one living
Who so much deserves the gratitude of Spain as
She. There are few public per>onagoS in the
world who mako 50 strong an appeal to SYM
ratlrriraud chfyalrc consideration The Kings
assumption Of full sovereignty may b" the "'n-
ulfuariu. feature of the present ccremonial~.
The Queen Regents resignation of the sovrr
rf.ury she has 50 long and So vclI exercised is
The one which VIII be most deeply impressed
r,on memory and which VIII most loftiIy i'm
~plro iua-tuat.ou
Maria Christina today leaves the compare
lively commonplace company Of rei-uinc soy
crcian@ and takes q secure place among I'M"
heroic characters Of history Her position is
secure. and thcrn are f,W rs hi-h and as honor
able i'm the long annals of Spanish sovereignty
For sixteen wears she has worn one of TIA" most
ouorous CROWDS in the world. I'm circumstances
of peculiar and exceptional difficulty. Ihat
she has euceorled in doing 50 ar all may we'll
,,yoir. our surprise That ~h" has done 50 with
universally approved discretion and success
marks her as worthy of such fame rs history
ap,o-,I~ t. only q few mouarchs. Let Ms recall
The circumstances. she came 10 Spain as q not
oyorvecomo guest I'm temperament she and
her court were a. far aSundoT as tho poles
Hgr married Ire was not feioitous, and at an
asIIt date -hc was left a widow. alon" in
suspicious aud half hostile land. with mcnace~
abroad and with di~a4cnunn and threats Of
revolution at home. At almost any time i'm
: 1.r
would have given odds iu wager that Alfonso
NH would never come 10 III" thron" II" does
now come 10 the throne. and tho throne is on
moro secure foundation than IT has had for
MANY q year. For that achievement tine >I.n.
ish nation has Maria Christina 10 thank n.-ra
than any other and all Others put ro-,a"r-
Her admirable character hor eluao" t"mpcra-
meur. her vomauly tact. her c.neran.y Of pur
pose her statesmaulibc preSciencc and prudcnc"
and frmuc~S have au been worthy Of The high.
est praise They have won that supreme Drai~"
which is embodied in attained success
Now. after leading her son 70 the steps of n"
throne she VIII step down and ont She viii
do 50 amid the respect and honor of The world.
and of no part of the world more than Of III"
country which was lately AZ war with her own.
II is one Of The rolc,minC memories Of that
unhappy strife that tho United States never
thought Of the Queen Regent OF Spain oth"rWl~"
than with sincere and chtyalrou- regard. There
have been wars in which sov"rei-ns have per
eonany been objects of offence and Of aninosity.
in This case il was not so. Americans recoC
rfzcl I'm Maria Christina thon a at all times. "a
noble woman and a wise and benevolent. though
a much tried and not always fortunate ruler
They viii uugrudgiugIy give TO her i'm her re.
ti-cmcnt from The regency an uuStint,d need Of
praise. and a hearty hope that as Queen Dow
agcr she may enjoy more peace and prosperity
size could not have more honor than she ha-
known in the long and troublous years as Queen
Regent.