New-York tribune., 1906-05-31
ALFONSO AND ENA.

"All mankind" said much misquOted Emerson
love a lover" On that ground alone. We're
there other, the wide and sympathetic inter
est in the courtship and marriage of the King
of Spain might be fully explained. For there
can be no question that he is truly a lover in all
the fine significance Of that word when applied
10 manly and ardent youth of twenty years.
In age. rank, temperament and tastes the royal
pair seem ideally suited TO one another. so that
not even the most cynical observer is inclined to
look for reasons Of policy or dictates of state
craft in the match.
There are however other grounds of interest.
The historical point of view particularly. is
worthy of attention. Spanish marriages" have
more than once had unenviable nOtoriety, and
nave been productive of woe and wars TO per
SONS and TO nations Nobody would ever have
thougnt OF adapting applying to Spain the
Famous epigram on the marriages of the House
or Austria: Bella gerant alii; tu. felix Aus
uLh' hube. Yet, IN reversal of proverbial an
naIs' here is a Spanish marriage as pure as any
or It's predecessors were corrupt as afrectionate
as they were sordid, auspcious as they were
ofn1nous Again, a marriage between the royal
houses OF Spain and England seems, on it's face
historically incongruous, with dark and forbid
ding recollections of Tudor and Stuart times
Yet here rs one effected with the cordial ap-
To Americans moreover. there is presented
this phase of peculiar interest that the special
envoy from this country has been received by the
Ming with unaffected cordiality, and will have
ali honorable place in the ceremOnials and pag-
edilules OF the day. and may be sure that
the message Of felicitation conveyed by him
IRON president Roosevelt to the King is as
highly priced any such greeting that has
reached Madrid. In that circumstance we may
perceive renewed assurance of the restoration
or sincere friendship. on both sides. between the
United States and that nation with which we
were last and so lately Mt war 1t was in AL
fons0s reign that the waged. as IL is
in his reign that the return of peace is now so
felctously sgnaliZed Also, man who was
among the foremost in waging that war on the
American side is now the President who ex-
presses this nations good wishes 10 the King Of
Spain. Finally. there are many indications that
the American and the Spanish peoples are in
full accord with their respective chiefs of state
In the expression and reception of the amiable
sentiments of the day
Ii seems, indeed, the fortune of Alfonso 10
make or to experience exceptions TO many rules
Ills was the unusual lot To be born not merely
prince or a kings heir apparent but himself
an actual king. In his boyhood his kingdom suf-
fered great losses in war. but was in fact en-
riched by them. To degree beyond the meas
ure OF most royal youths, he has won the af
fectionate regard Of those with whom he has
come in contact at home and abroad Revers
ing the Castilian tradition which once made n
spanish klng-as the Chinese say of their EN-
peror-"as lonely a god" he has enjoyei the
feiiowship OF his kind and all the good things of
hfe with the whole hearted zest Of an unfettered
boy Reversing the too frequent examples Of his
ancestors. he makes to-day happy marriage
heouklhs historic anlmosites he unites the
spanish ana English dynastles with the tender,
est and strongest of personal,bonds.
l These circumstan noes. we may hope. are An