The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-10-30

that Ferrer han actually instigated
Morales to perpetrate the specific Of
fense of which she siad rendered him
self guilty. In liurltng his bomb at the
carriage in which the young king and
queen Of Spain were driving home
from the church toIthe palace at Ma
drid at the conclusion Of the wedding
ceremony. Ferrer was accordingly
acquitted, and snots- long afterward
King Alfonso ayaiied himself of the
opportunity arordeH by the birth Of
his eldest boy y issue a free pardon
to Nakens. ] !: !.
In fact, ever st1cs Alfonso assumed
the reins of goverament on the attain
ment of his majdl y. now seven years
ago, he has .mad4 u more generou.
use than any Of his predecessors of
that most valued 1T all the preroga-
tives of the crown, namely. the right
of clemency to prisoners. Many in
deed are the criminals condemned 10
death whom, he has reprieved, and
still larger is the number of those
who, committed to prison for life.
have been restored by him to freedom.
If he declined to interfere in the case
of Ferrer it, was partly in Difference
to the pressing advice and even de-
mands of his ministers and still more
because he felt that in this instance
it was not an attempt on his own life,
or even upon that Of his queen, that
was being punished, but a crime
against the very foundations of law
and ORDER a crime also against the
life and the property of the city Of
Barcelona. He: felt that this was q
case where he had no right to in
terfere, even though he was given to
understand. that in allowing the law to
take it's course with Ferrer he was
signing the warrant for his own death
at the hands of anarchist assassins.
Although Alfonso Is barely % years
of age, his life has repeatedly been
attempted. Twice bombs have shat
tered the carriage In which he was
riding; once on his seadinE day and
on another occasion syear or two
previously, while driving with Presi-
dent Loubet through the streets ul
at the college and academy, of hun
Paris. In each instance he has shown
an extraordinary amount Of presence
of mind and calm courage. The bomb
throwers have failed twice. The third
time they may be successful.
This king, who has scarcely emerged
from boyhood, who gives one the i'm
preston of literally bubbling over
with the 'joie de vivre," realizes bet
ter than anyone else that he has been
walking for the last seven years in
the shadow of death. Yet he goes
about everywhere unattended and un.
armed; did so even at Barcelona, whcr
he was last there, about year ago
Now the danger to which he has
hitherto been exposed is increased q
hundredfold. He knew this when :.e
declined to reprieve Ferrer. But liz
felt it to be his duty to refrain from
interference with the sentence of the
tribunals, even if it were to cost hi,r
his own life, and, under the circum.
stances, his attitude in the matter
should call for commendation as ar
illustration of pluck rather than fol-
reprobation.
The Spanish government has bec'
blamed for trying Ferrer by cour
martial instead Of by the ordinar!
civil courts. But when such disturb.
ances take place as those which oc
CURED some weeks ago at Barcelona
when the mob, driven to fury by tn,
harangues of men like Ferrer, resort
to acts that SAVIOR More of the will
beast than of the human being, ant
the police are powerless, the inaugur
alton of military law becomes imper
ative 1t has been instituted here il
the United States in times of peac
under far less serious provocation
and military law means military jus
tice; that is to say, the trial of tn
guilty without any fear on the part O
the judges or jury of the consequence
Of doing their duty.
Civilian judges might have Iacke
the courage to condemn, knowing tha
from thenceforth they would b
marked men in a country where hu
man life is held cheap. while Juror
would have been reluctant to expos
themselves to the peril of the destru
ton of their property and of thei
families by rendering a verdict in &C
cordance with the evidence. That
why Ferrer was tried by a miiltar