Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-06-21
FOREIGN CHAT.
Prime Minister Sagasta Over
a Newspaper Reporter
King Edwards Youngest Sister in
Society at Last,
Relations Strained Between Courts of
Berlin and Munich.

1t is not generally known that old
Senior Sagasta, who as PRIME minister Of
! Spain will assume the direction of the
ceremonies in connection with tire COM
ing of age of young King Alfonso. was
originally a society reporter for a
Madrid paper. II was merely the ill
ness Of the parliamentary reporter of
his paper that led him to take up poll
| teal work. His work, however, in the
reporters gallery Of the Cortes gave 50
much satisfaction to his managing edi-
tor that he was sent down to coun-
try town to help to elect the Liberal
candidate. The results of his mission
We're not altogether those anticipated
by his employers, for his speeches in
behalf Of the candidate pleased the
electors so much that they insisted on
returning him 20 Parliament as their
representative in the place of the man
whom ne had come to help. For the
nOnce he gave up journalism. But
when later on he was exiled for his
! too ardent liberalism. he established
| himself in London and earned hand
| some income there as correspondent Of
number Of the leading Spanish
| papers.
| ID is doubtful whether there is any
| Spanish statesman who is so deeply
attached to the young King Of Sagasta,
and the Queen Regent undoubtedly re-
| poses more confidence in him than in
anyone else. AT her husbands death
| CanOvas, who was at the time Spanish
premier ana ut the head Of Il large
| Conservative majority in the Cortcs.
| himself advised the Queen Regent to
| take tn" extraordinary step Of DISMISS
| ing his own cabinet ana to intrust the
| formation Of q new administration TO
| the Liberal leader, Sagasta. CanoVas
| assured her that the most dangerous
| rncs of the monarchy during the mi
loyity Of the young King would be the
| tepUbliCanS, ana declared that by
placing Sagasta in Office at the lead Of
| I. Liberal administration, pledged to Il
| series Of liberal reforms. the Republic
can element might De. temporarily, at
my rate. muZzled aud rendered inocu-
| gS.
This advice proved thoroughly justi-
led. The Queen Regent, who is Il lib
| ,ral-mndcl woman at heart, became
| extremely fond Of siagaSta, and So too,
| Till tho little King, who from his earli
| st childhood. used to delight in climb
| playing with his eyeglasses. Curious
| ~ enough the little King rs child be,
| came imbued with distaste for Cano-
| vas. and when on one occasion the
| Conservative leader addressed him by
his nickname of "Alfons;to." he indig
nantly replied: II am not Alfonsito to
you l am only that to my mother ana
| sisters. To you l am FL Rey' (the
| King.
| Sagasta is now 4 very old gentleman,
| nearly 80 years Of age, and his face is
| scanned by age and by care with as
| many lines ana burrows as old Field
| Marshal AIoltkc during the closing
| years Of his life. He is quite small ana
| shruuk. ANA when ne gets UP to speak
| in the Cortcs his voice at first sounds
| weak hcsitating. undecided. with even
/ .he suspicion Of quaver. But in z
few minutes he seiZes hold of his au-
| !iorce. everyone becomes fascinated,
| md although he speaks quietly and
| rarely raises his tone. Vet his utter
| ,n.e= are full Of life and. fire, with
| pIruty ~ nattory. hut above AL quiet
ironv. lie lives very quietly and sim
BY in \ fiat Oh the Pucrta Del sol, and,
ike his great political rival, the late
| Senior Can6Vas is renowned for his
| sterling integrity, a quality which COM
| mands extraordinary respect in q
| country where there is SO much admin
istrative and political corruption as in
| Spain.
| TO him. quite as much rs 10 the
| Queen Regent, belongs the credit OF
| having preserved the Spanish throne
| from overthrow through most troub-
ious times from the time of the little
| Kings birth until his majority. and rs
soon as Don Alfonso XIII. takes the
lyeins of government into his own hands
old Saeasta will be able to intone his
"Nunc Dimittis" ana to retire into phi
vate life
Princess Henry Of Battenberg, the
Youngest sister of King Edward, and
one Of the most gifted members of the
royal family. Is about to become a
prominent ana important figure in
| English society. 10 which she has until
now been more or less of stranger,
owing to the fact that she was the con-
slant companion Of her mother, and
therefore necessarily q participation Of
| the lattcr'S privacy and seclusion. 1t
| will scarcely he believed that although
| she is nearer 81 than 40 years of aye,
she mas never dined out in London
mean with any non-royal personage-
on attended any ball in London, save
these stale conventions at Bucking-
!; / ham Palace, while the only country
house at which she has ever stayed has
been Dallleith Palace. where she was
COR % hours the guest of the Duke and
Duchess of Bucclouch.
Yet she is very fond of society. pos
Sesses. thanks to her mother. hand
some fortune 10 supplement her annual
allowance from the national treasury
, of $4,000 4 year, enjoys the use of q
beautiful furnished residence for life
at Kensington Palace. where she has
her talented sister. Princess Louise
Duchess of Argyll, as n neighbor, is q
superb musician and a composer of nc
mean skill. very clever with both brush
: and pencil, 4 charming conversational
| ist. added to which she has an un-
rivaled experience of court etiquette
! court history and even of the inner
side of politics. acquired during hel
: ! constant association with her mother
, the late Queen. whose confidant ant