The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-11-09
Why Alphop,so is
Hard to Dust.
From the Literary Digest.

uprisings have come to nothing that
observers are growing little skeptical.
Alfonso seems to stick to his throne
with a persistent and noncbalance that
battle the insurgents. or progressives,
or whatever they call them in Spain.
Why is this? In Portugal one king was
assassinated and the next one sent out
OF his realm on the run. but they were
both unpopular. Alfonso is thinner
than the Portuguese rulers. and lacks
that look OF we'll fed indifference that
rouses the rage of the hungry poor.
That may seem a slim reason, but 1t
appeals to Vance Thomson, who writes
in Golfers on Spain as the Next Re
public" We read:
Had fat boy sat on the throne OF
Npaln, there would have been long ago
d republic in that Iberian land. But
the Spanish king is not like Don Car
los, He is the hardest king to over
throw in Europe. for he has all the
qualities that appeal to the ordinary
mSn and woman-especially if they are
Spanish.
Before his marriage he used to go
often Of morning to the law school
in Madrid, sit among the students, and
listen TO the lecture. One day the Re-
publican Deputy AZcarate lectured on
the superior advantages OF the re-
publican form OF government. When
he was done, the young king went up to
him, smiling. and shook hands.
Accept my congratulations, profess
yor," he said, "but--every man to his
.rade, you know"
And he is a master Of that archaic
rade Of his. Do you remember the be-
inning of his reign? The gray squares
Id streets of Madrid thronged with
I >ople; suddenly the cannons doomed
q times, to say the king had come. In
sioe the palace stood old dignltaries,
old ministers of state, ENJOYS from all
the courts of Europe, Knights Of the
Golden Fleece, grandees: to them came
the stately Duchess of Medina, bearing
on golden platt the naked new born
king. Came ever a king so pictur-
esquely to an age-old throne! And
there was another day. after he had
been solemnly consccrated to the
Black Virgin of Antocha (thc protec-
trcss OF the royal family, when he
presided at the opening session Of the
cortes. Cooling in his gilt chair OF
state, he listened; and the grave states
men debated affairs OF state.
Now rational time serving, pro-
gressive man would snort with dis.
dain at this idiotic travesty Of royalty:
and, of course, Ii is absurd and me-
dieval and all that: but 1t preserve the
Spanish throne for over 20 years. You
see, some people are sentimental--eyer
revolutionists are. Until he grew w
tiiS lipI pS PeISusiuSf
that the tyranny OF "Alfonsito
| weighed heavily on them. Even When
he was IA, an anarchist who ran upon
him with his knife felt that way. The
| little king was entirely at tho man 9
mercy. so he stood still. The anarchist
| looked at him critically. then dropped
| his knife.
NO" he said regretfully. "no-you
| are too young"
| And went his way. Later, bomb
throwers took pot shots at him in We
| rious capitals Of Europe. including hii
own; but they could not kill him, and
they could not get the Spanish people
as whole, to realize that Alfonso XIII
| was an anachronism. relic Of barbar-
| ism, parasite, tyrant. and all the
| rest Of IT. He is such a frank. demo
cratic youth, so gay and bold-in the
old French way-in the face Of death
| so full OF wit and comradeship, so dar-
ing and expert in all the sports; sc
| good husband, father, son; so essen.
TALLY fine fellow that 1t Is hard &c
| prod Demos up TO the point Of taking
| his throne-or head.
And without Demos there are no rev.
| olutions.
The theorists, the idealists the hui
manitarians. the financiers, can only
blow on the Goals and hasten the blaze
/ have satd the kings personality IL
the chief obstacle in the way Of the
revolution which Is being organized a
this hour in Spain. Here is an illus
tration: After the last outbreak IL
Barcelona the constitutional guarantee!
| were withdraw for that province Their,
was widespread terrorism there. The
anarchists were sullen and dangerous
labor was angry and dlscontented. TIL,
worst elements In Catalonia swarme(
into the city. And the king went L
Barcelona. The police took every pre-
caution. Their spies lowered every
wherein cafes, streets. and squares
Uniformed men lined the streets
Troops were under arms. When tn,
king came he ordered all the guard:
sent away. The officials who were re
sponsible for his safety protested.
"They must DO all removed Alton
so insisted: and without a uniform o.
sword in sight he went down amons
the sullen citizens Of his disloyal city
Not stone was thrown. not a seditiou
cry was raised; here and there cam
cheers for the king.
Another thing Will delay-though /
cannot stop-the revolution. That Il
the fact that the queen of Spain wa
taken from the English court. Th
English money which backed the Por
| tuguese revolution and that Of thu
, young Turks Is sentimental where tn,
English royal family Is concerned. A
much as her royal husband, Queen En-:
whose bridal veil was torn by piec,
of the Moral and .Ferrer bomb-stand
for the protection Of the old Spanish
monarchy. These sentimental reasons
will pass away. With bloodshed o
without bloodshed, the new king
Spain. as elsewhere.