Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1901 — WEYLER RULES SPAIN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WEYLER RULES SPAIN

RIOTS LEAD TO PROCLAMATION OF MARTIAL LAW. Wedding of the Princess to a Partisan of Don Carlos Accomplished While Troops Fill Capital atad Disorders Continue on All Sides. The brilliant wedding ceremonies at Madrid, when Princess Maria of the As-turias-was married to Prince Charles of Bourbon, were attended iu parts of Spain by manifestations which fairly threaten revolution. It was expected that the union of the princess to one of the detested Carlists would call forth a protest, but such scenes as were witnessed Thursday, not only in Madrid, hut i n Barcelona; Granada, Valencia and Malaga, indicate that the populace has reached the point of desperation which leads to overt acts. A royal wedding is one of the occasions when, if ever, a loyal people are disposed to enter into the “festival spirit with enthusiasm. The sullen crowds in Madrid were so obviously threatening that detachments of cavalry patrolled the street during the time of the ceremony. The gravity of the sit-

uation is disclosed in the fact that it was deemed advisable to proclaim a state of siege, the city thus‘being placed under martial law. Because the local authorities were unable to maintain order affairs were placed in the hands of Gen. Weyler, ami the captain general, who was driven from Cuba by American sentiment, appears to be now in supreme command. Geu. Weyler issued a stringent proclamation. There was bitter opposition in the cabinet to the radical measures taken, and the outcome of the situation, a correspondent says, is awaited with anxiety. If the Queen Regent and her niinisrial advisers have any means at hand for controlling the outburst of public feeling there is nothing to show it. The situation in some respects resembles that in Brazil when the wave of republicanism swept Dom Pedro off the throne. The Queen herself is not loved; her son, the youthful king, is looked upon as a weakling, destined to an early death, and the union of the Queen’s eldest daughter to a Caflist and a reactionary now puts a ban upon the next heir to the throne. There is reason to believe ''that a large element of the Spanish public would rather see the throne overturned than to permit it to be occupied by a queen under such influences as must now surround Princess Maria. During years of misgovernment, they have been heavily taxed nnd # as persistently robbed by the corruptionists who hold political office. The marriage now contracted comes >ns a last straw upon this burden of grievances, and were a leader of the republican forces to rise and assert himself at this juncture the Queen would have little with which to combat them. The reactionaries and conservatives hold the places, both military anil civil, but they are comparatively few in number and without popular influence. The Queen, moreover, has no such strong man as Canovas to guide her aud hold the people In subjection. Until recently she had her choice between casting her fortunes with the liberal and republican element and trusting to their loyalty to maintain the throne or uniting with the reactionists. She has chosen the latter alternative.

GENERAL WEYLER.