The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-11
From inc Cincinnati Times star.

From the Cincinnati Times Star.
 @ OOKS as though the sunny lana NC/ of Spain were playing the man - dolin backward for Alfonso Rex. large. enthusiastic gatherings have shout ed themselves to a croak for reVlsioh downward-especial attention being paio to the revision down of Alfonso Rex desperate effort is being made at tn's point to resist the obvious pun but re- gara for truth forces the conciusioh that if this Spanish Fourth Of July goes on much longer it will be Alfonso Wrecheu' tJa ia about as popular over there as A,dricb ia with the Ultimate Consumer ona that exhausts the possibilities or
 otanbor And vet we have been Jed n believe that he was the saccharine strip- ling with the hidalgoes All ne hao to do was to announce his willingness to run according to the unbiased anu nerfectly fair minded Spanish press ana he would be nominated on fusion 'icAe' embracing all parties. And win Tn co"'- mon canter.
 Tusb tush and half pish. The time hoe yone hv when the Bourbon nose and
 
 attack of eryspelas for the proud pos sessor. These features look well on mea- als. of course, especially copper medals, where there is no question or grouhu rent to hamper the artist. And they're .asv to draw. But they don't excite the loyal populace to anything put hyofo- nhobia. Bismarck once said that SPaiii ,s the richest country In the worlo pe- cause. to render his remarks freely she could do more fool things than any oth- ar land on earth and get away wlth them. But every time she wabbies a h'- tle nearer the edge. It's only matter or time until she will be debating whether senators should be nominated by prl- maries or burned at the stake.
 And in the meantime. Allie, you are earnestly advised to bury few ducats in the back yard. where you can reao" them in a hurry And keep your traVei- er,s guide handy. This is your uniucky vear vou know. Alfonso the Thirteenth In the twenty-third year Of ms age George M. Conan and Gustav Meyei please write. If any unfortunate young monarch ever had hex laid on nm vou,re 1t, And this is the seventh year of your reign, too, and seven IS "ysuc number-especially in craps. Ihe s'ars ,,a,oote that YOU should start nothing on Friday this year-or on any other day unless you know you can finish it-and o,,oid berries. fish and anarchists unless .hav have been well hung. Otherwise ,,o, will be comparatively safe if you G. voted subjects.
 This rebellion in Spain is revelation to those who believed that Alfonso was well loyel. The Bourbon -Hapsburg cross ,sn,t usually productive of popularity, but ,+ did seem that Allie had broken the spell. No use giving the rest of his name. When he wears all his middle names and inlti- als. 1t sounds like a Lackawanna freight train hitting a loose fishplate. But his youth. his boyish spirits, and the romantic manner in which he selected Princess Ena | of England as his bride. after looking over the available stock of European pricesses, seemed to have endeared him | to his people, Now 1t Is shown that his popularity was on the surface only. It | may be that his queens disregard of | spanish custom and tradition has weak 1 ened his position, for she has intimated l that she will play the game under the l 1909 rules. But the underlying cause IS
 the growing sentiment of republicanism' and the widespread disgust at the shame
 less manner in which the great families
 of Spain exploit the country for their pri- | vate ends.
 I,t~ 0r' e. gency. Alfonso was ridden witn 'sn'
 rein. He was made to work hard q learn ing the business of reigning, although IL IS
 related that when he first comprehendeo the restrictions which a king must face he inquired of his tutor, and what Is there left for me to do?' When he mounted the throne, seven years ago, he made up for . time for the restraints ol