Evening star., 1911-08-09
THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN.
XIX-THE SHORTLVED REPUBLIC.
By Frederic J. Haskin.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

Whenever a republic is proposed as q
cure for political conditions in Spain the
failure of the "Prim republic is recalled.
When the Republic of France was IN its
swaddlng clothes and the union or the
American states had just been assured
for all time by the outcome of the great
war that began at Fort Sumter and emo
ed at Appomattox. the Spanish republic
bloSsomed into existence doomed 10 an
early death.
Gen. Prim, who had led a military in
surrection in 1865 and escaped to Portu-
gal when the royal troops put the lnsur-
rectos to flight, returned to Spain IN Ioo'
with high hopes. The year before regi-
lment Of artillery quartered at Madrid nad
mutinied in its barracks. and the slogan
"Prim and the republic!" had been SCOUT
ed in the streets and echoed in the cafes
Of the capital And in 1857 Aragon. Cata-
lonia and Valencia had been disturbed IT. ps
rowing bands of revolutionists. The
queen. Isabella, had alienated her SUD-
iects by her loose conduct. The provi-
sions of the constitution had been dis
regarded and the rights OF the people
trampled upon. Catalonia-strong In Inc
spirit of independence since the days or
Roman invasion-started the revolution In
April and was placed in state or siege.
In September the storm broke Ge.I.
Prim had arrived at Cadlz to serve as
leader supported by several other exiied
generals Marshal Serrano. formerly
president of the senate, placed himself at
the head of a revolt that brought all An
dalusia into line for the overthrow or the
monarchy.
In early October Serrano entered Mad
rid anplauded as the hero of the day.
Isabella had been forced to seek an asy-
INN in France, and the fall of the Bour-
bons had been solemnly proclaimed. A
provisional government was formed TO
lead the nation to liberty and not allow
IT to perish in anarchy. Universal sur
frage was declared as principle OF the
new constitution, and DEGREES were ISSUED
to suppress the Jesuits, restore the no
erty of the press and grant absolute free
dom of primary education In a country
whose history had been written in blood
since the days of the Roman Caesars the
way for establishment of republic had
been paved without great battle. But
that was as far as liberty prospered
* x
The cortes met and declared for a mo-
narchial form Of government. The world
had looked for
Republic Destined ward to ma
to Come to Nothing. from a revolt
that swept from the Bay of Cadiz to the
wild gorges of the Pyrenees, and had
driven the Bourbon queen beyond the
frontier. but it was destined TO come to
nothing Too many cooks spoeled the
broth. The gallant Gen. Prim, for whom
the patriots had shouted themselves
hoarse three years before, Trote card
for a Madrid paper proposing the forma-
ton of constitutional monarchy before
the cortes took the matter up. Catalonia,
which still took the revolution seriously,
and had never been content to be gov
erned by scions of Castilian. Aragonese
or French houses, was invaded by troops
and republican patriots were captured and
executed. Every undesirable prince in
Europe out of a Job" cast a hungry eye
upon Spain. and the crown was offered
TO numerous princes who were deemed
desirable