Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-01-25
YOUNG KING OF SPAIN
HE WILL ASSUME THE RESpoxS.,u
tiles OF OFFICE NEXT MAY.
neassurlng Statements as to His
HeaIth-WiiI Have Plenty of
Work to Do.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star

| special correspondence of The Evening Star
MADRID. January II. 1902.
"A series of visits to the chief European
courts and countries is shortly to be paid
oy the young King of Spain 1t will form
| at once his debut to the world and the fin
ishlhg touch, SO to speak, to his royal edu-
| cation.
! Inc boy king has now entered his six
| 'eehlh year, for It was the 18th of May
1885, when Senior Sagasta announced to the
| ANXIOUS nation that the widow of their dead
| Ming had borne son. Maria Christina
~" no longer called the Austrian, has ac-
colhpllshed the greater part of her task In
May next she will lay down the regency.
anu her only son will assume the dignities
and responsibilities of kingship.
Alfonso XIII is at first sight a delicate
lau-thln, pale and of nervous appearance
some say he has inherited the constitu-
tionai 1nflrmity of his father: others thar
ms ms appearance is something he shares in
Ioihhioh with all the men of the house of
Hapsburg. During the maneuyers beId a.
Saiapallepel the young king remained seven
hours in the saddle without exhibiting anI-
sstiiptoif OF fatigue, and his personal staff
hoticed That even a prolonged cantor did
nothlng TO weaken his voice When tba
Jay work was over he was as animated &C
ne was at the beginning This is exceIIant
news Tor Spain as. far as it goes but If
So idI eiiOuSH. lie Is already ho
dlcapped by his responsibilities A. L. Its1.r
iish lad at fifteen years, whatever his nosi
1 tion' "9uid not be carrying half the load nf
S A1toMleage borne by Alfonso XIII. He
sPeaks English, French and German a { vii
as Spanish; has had careful matban,otIGoai
framing, Is student of history and is AZ
hoteo 10 military matters For a how bis
hno"Ieoge OF the elements of military
sciehce Is quite uncommon
Possibilities of the Future.
"A strong, healthy king can give the land
the period of repose that will enable if IN
ueVeiop It's internal resources, find occuna
lioh 1or Its growing population outside the
corrupt world OF officialdom, amend it's ed
ucatiohal defects, outgrow Carlism and be-
u t;.L once more power to be reckoned
with. The reverse of the picture is not
pressing. An invalid director of state
whose various factions are like an unruIv
morse that must be ridden on the curb can, ]
no. Iulnll his duties. and if anything han
pened to him the Princess of the Asturias
would become Queen of Spain. and ber h,s |
pand, carlos de Bourbon Prince Of Astn
rlaS' would become king consort Against |
sucn a development the old unuuiet ele
ments in Spain would rise up again Tba
possibility Of it is said to have hro,,aht
senior Sagasta into temporary opposition
WI WIN y. the queen regent when the Question
OF the marriage was first mooted
w men Alfonso XIII comes to his oun he
VIII De entirely dependent for some tin,o
~ ~ FEAST upon the advice and guidance Of |
me people who have their power in that
, "a nus To-Day. With statesmen who desire
10 more than the progress of Spain and
notner whose life has been marked bv most
tsiu ueVotion to duty, the young king will |
~ IT,, upon MS work well equipped It viii
'e wen Tor the country if his advisers Sic
ICED In impressing upon him tbe naoosn;t.
u reIralning from experiments of every
ort. Spa1n's partial recovery has bean
rue 10 ner wise handling by statesmen who
,i,,c&
unists "eenieo oppor-
II the young king becomes a reactionarv
,e WIN arouse the radicals and Strengthen
ne Iepuoicans; II he shows too much zeal
or reform he will weaken the alIegiance
i tne conservatives and strengthen Tho
JdilistS; Ihey say in Madrid that his best
olicy lies In a continuance of the existing
r ,uJ VI .hlngs and a devotion to such
.orhs as the improvement Of the financial |
ituatlon the substitution of some less |
nect metnod or taxation from the octroi ,
uties, and the maintenance of army e. |
cheney, the creation of a small navy y,
ne most modern lines and the era ming ne |
uch concessions to democracy as the Snan- !
81 oinclal mind can accept without ofYense
- - no. hot very heroic program, nor is 1t |
ne that can appeal very strongly IN n | ,
Dung, enthusiastic, ambitious ruler. bnt ,
pain is very tired country inst NOM. sho !
as passed through several years Of .1nternaI ,
onvulsion. - --''ei iai
In Favor With the People.
certain attempts have been made to !
sconcile some of the disconnected elements !
Spain to the Alfonist party, and the
Ing has been of necessity a. prominent t
arty in the movements. They have not t
zen successful; the irreconcilables re-
aimed obdurate, but the young ruler car h
ed himself brayely through some unpleas- I
1t experiences, and recalled the bearing of
s father, who had similar difficulties tn
ce. Down to the present Spain has NOT r
en- much of her king, and Madrid has
1t been favorably disposed to him he
use OF his absence from the bull ring n
uromachy being an institution to wbicb | q,
ueen Christina will make no concessions
e has been to the Plaza de Toros nnuy L
I'd his subjects are better pleased b,t n Il
unlikely that he will devotion into a F
iron of the national amusement ~
some people In Madrid declare that Al =
nso XIII Is an ultramontanist and that w
e grip OF the Latin Church will tighten ~, In
ain as soon as he is firmly Established II
ley point to the Caserta marriage and The m
sence of anti-clerical legislation. to tho to
~ friendly relations between the Vatican M
the spanish court, and to the known m
mpathy OF the queen mother for the 70
lurcn OF Rome. This alleged tendency Is be
considerable factor in strengthening the az
.uplican party. Ii the army is friendly W
Ionso can go far, and the powerful gen, he
Us are already delighted with the way in er
icn tneT royal master deyotes himself To pr
study of military affairs ~