Inter-Mountain Farmer | 1902-05-20 | Page 4 | The Crowning of a King

THE CROWNING OF A KING, The Initial cermonles of the majoilty nnd coronation ot young King Alphon-so Alphon-so of Spain began yesteidaj the ceie-monlea ceie-monlea will last throughout next week It Is but the ghost of an empire that the young man lakes, a more thadotv of what was once the most dizzllug and polent throne that was In the world The c rushing out of Independent Independ-ent thought, the expulsion of the Jews, the rapacity, selfishness nnd brutality of the oillclalR Inte moro . ml mora dlmiuec) that splendor as the generations genera-tions pissed, iiitll now but a flint gllmmei of the foimer glory lemalns Contempt for nuchiinlcnl triumphs negligence of commerce, zeal oniy for honors nnd callings that carry no woitliy success hate entailed a decay lug rac'nl life, llllteiacy Increases, arrogance ar-rogance Is cullltated, nnd the useful man la mnclted It la often said that there - tlrtite, stamina and spirit enough yet left In Spell) to tegenerate ilei kiim-doin, ami this Is ro doubt 1 1 in but tho dim ulij Is to apply the ir qualities In the right dn tlon tin i teals of the laco arc wrong, the r en seek the useless, and the women Mi frivolous They hate no ambl-tt ambl-tt n to do for themselves, but lo hate ntheis do for them. The habits of dominion acquired when they were able to rule, continue when their ability abil-ity to rule has passM away Their pride remains when they hate now so little to tie proud of. It Is like the de-generate de-generate son of a great hoURe who his nothing to urge for himself, hut who thinks he ought to hate place nnd consideration for what hli ancestors did generations ago The Spinlsh people might he awakened by some great upbeat nl, as a movement to form a republic, but It 19 doubtful It they sre at present competent for this Their traditions ate all royal, their nsplri-tlona nsplri-tlona are courtly and not democratic It might be that their present best hope would he a sort of dependency of France for lhat the rlgn ot the young man about to be crowned will be long we do not bellete