Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-12-07

cabinet. and the prime minister had
10 go to the palace with a heavy frown
upon his face and notify his royal
master that he must quit all such non
eenre
Although Alfonso is well posted in
modern and ancient history and Euro
I pean politics. there are several import
PAM events OF recent occurrence that
he knows nothing about, II is consid-
cred necessary 10 conceal certain mat
Jers from him. which it is easy TO do
because he is almost entirely depend
ent upon his ministers and tutors for
Information. Occasionally. however
he finds out something by accident.
and this happened not long ago. A
distinguished American being in Ma
drid, was granted an audience. and the
conversation came around to the st.
Louis exposition and then to previous
enterprises that had been undertaken
ia the United States. The Pan-Amer-
lean exposition was alluded to. and the
visitor remarked that it might have
been a great success but for the awful
king inquired what that was. and the
visitor explained that he referred TO
the assassination of President McKin-
ley. To his amazement he discovered
that the king had never heard of it,
The facts were undoubtedly concealed
from him by his ministers and secre-
taries for fear of disturbing his mind.
but his curiosity would not be salts
ied and he cross-examined his visitor
until he obtained every detail of the
event. What he said TO his family
him no one knows.
Other information of similar char
,cter is withheld from him. He knows
nothing OF the political disturbances
in Spain nor of the anarchist conspir.
icies that are frequently discovered in
Barcelona and other parts of the coun-
try. he does not know that newspap-
ers are suppressed and that members
of parliament are arrested almost
daily for political reasons; he is not
tware of the bitter attacks that have
been made upon his queen-mother in
he cortes and upon the platforms; nor
If the criticisms directed at himself
Everything that may disturb his peace
If mind or affect his temper is con
,ealed from him, just as he is protect
I'D against contagious diseases and
violence This. however, canot al.
ways continue. and it must often be
iifficult for his advisers to satisfy his
nquisitive mind.
In ct tat n,-tg ,b
Kingdom for fear of assassination. He
was compelled to abandon a tour up.
IN which he started few months ago
because of conspiracies discovered by
he police, but other reasons were Civ. |
en- for the change of plans, and sup
pose that he was satisfied with them |
He has not the slightest suspicion OF |
he unpopuldrity of the recent mar
'iage OF his sister to the son of Car |
ist general.
Some months ago he went to Car
thagena to inspect the French fleet. |
There was a splendid assemblage OF |
modern battleships and cruisers, and |
hey were the first that he had ever |
seen. During his childhood days he |
occasionally visited one of the sea
ports and had Lean on board several |
spanish men-ofwar. AT the Colum- |
bus celebration eleven years ago he |
sailed from Cldiz to Huelva upon the |
inest ship in the Spanish navy es-
;orted by vessels from the navies OF |
Ill the great powers, twenty-five or |
thirty in number. There was a great |
naval demonstration in honor of the |
memory of Columbus, and the little |
caravals that are now at jackson park,
Chicago, sailed at the head of the col
lmn and furnished a striking contrast
between the ships of the fifteenth and |
hose of the nineteenth century. But
then he was only 6 years old and
could not appreciate the significance
)f the display.