Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-04-25
MAKING OF ALFONSO.
His Young Queen Credited with Max
ing Real King of Him.

When the dastardly attempt was
made on the life of Alfonso and his
queen after their marriage the peo-
pie began TO worship their ruler. They
saw in him an ideal, a true descendant
of tile great Bourbons and the youth
full monarch was placed on the highest
pinnacle OF popularity.
That was six years ago. Extrava-
gance in the royal household. unwise
political favoritism and decidedly
English tendencies slowly lowered tho
young king from popular favor, while
family troubles and wholesale house
cleaning of the grandees. instigated by
the queen added 20 the precariousness
of his position.
Queen Victoria, un-Spanish, unsuited
by national temperament to reign over
a southern people, but with the keen
intuition of an Englishwoman, foresaw
the imminent danger unless a radically
different method of procedure was
adopted With the indomitable spirit
which has always characterized her
ancestry she took matters into her
own hands.
MANY and long We're the conferences
with her husband, and while the world
Granja and Santander the world dces
know that Alfonso XIII. soon became
a different man He Travelled and be-
came imbued with the spirit of adj
vaneing Europe; he applied himself
to departmental details, familiarizing
himself with faulty conditions in Gov
ernmental affairs, which were in many
cases speedily remedied.
l,J Oh
cials soon realized that the former
weak and vacillating youth really had
ideals and that sheir measures were
net as easily carried through as for
merly. Alfonso studied his people.
He visited all the provinces Of his
kingdom.
Above all he abandoned the puerili-
ties which We're scandalizing not only
Madrid but all Europe as well. Vic
toria was victorious, and Spain today
can thank that noble woman for the
path which has been hewn for the adj
vanccment of her Government and the
betterment Of conditions throughout
the country.
These changes occurred about two
years ago. Since that time this I'M
tried young man has developed into
one Of the most capable rulers of Eu-
rope. Ministries came and fell. but
each situation was handled in cool
and collected manner which COM
manded the respect of even mis- enc.
mics and the people of the nation. In
1909, the open sore of Spain, the Nor
ocean situation, again broke out.
Then it was that Alfonso proved
himself 70 be more than puppes
king. The revolt was speedily ter
minated by an iron hand. The king
declared his intention of going into
Morocco, and it was only with the
greatest difficulty that the Cabinet
dissuaded him. The Spanish public
which admires bravery more than any
other virtue, enthused with the bold
declarations of their young king: the
press lauded his spirit. and favor.
In the palace in Madrid amid the
pressure of other activities daily hs
wrote and mailed dozens of picture
postcards to the officers in Morocco.
Aside from departmental correspond
enee the generals received encouraging
letters commencing their services and
expressing regret at his inability To
be with them. II a common soldier
accomplished deed OF yalor he res
ceived a letter of thanks from his
king. With post cards and letters AL
fonso won that war, but more than n
dozen Ritf!an battles. he won thu
hearts of officers and men. That was
his victory.
Since the Moroccan trouble he has
kept in constant touch with the army.
The majority of the generals are hts
personal friends. including Weyier.
who is the leader of army affairs In
the peninsula. These men are cons
tnuously entertained at La Granja,
the kings summer home not far from
Madrid, and at Santander. where no
spends several months each year.
Ills ear is always open to com
plants from the ranks of the soldiers
and as result plots are always nip-
ped in the bud and the instigators
snmmarily punished. The army as =
wnole not only admires but loves its
young king, and In this fact. alone.
lies his power Alfonso is the soldiers