The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-15

the circumstances win DO deplored by those
who hoped that Spain had fairly entered
| on the path OF liberty and progress.
The appointment OF CANovA5 at the
present juncture will justly be regarded as
| tho triumph OF palace intrigue rather than
| the normal outcome OF constitutional prin-
ciplcs. As the Conservative leader was noto-
riously unable to command majority In
the Chamber of Deputies, it was, according
TO parliamentary precedents, the Queen
| Regents duty to request SAdAsTA to
recall his resignation and make a
froeh effort to form q Ministry. The
utmost that CANovAs can now do Is to dis
solve the Cortes and order q new general
election. To designate Ministers exclusive
ly for such purpose was deemed In France
q grave violation OF political equity when
President IMAGINATION ventured on the ex-
perimentin 1877 with tho BBoGLIE-DE FOUR
ToU Cabinet. Tho act involves in this In
stance q moro fragrant disregard OF fairness
and decency, because the influence exerted
on Spanish elections In unavoidable ways
by the Government for the time being Is
we'll nigh as decisive as 1t was In France
during the reign OF NAPOLEON III. Ex-
perience has taught Spaniards that no ono
knows better than CANovAs how to work the
engines OF seduction and intimidation. He
has been beaten by coalitions In the legtsla-
ture, but never at the ballot box when his
agents had charge Of it.
There is a special reason why they who
wish we'll to Spain view with regret the ac-
ccssion of the Conservatives to Office at this
time. The present Cortes have witnessed the
fulfllment OF SAdAsTA's promise to give his
fellow subjects universal suffrage. which
was to be exercised for the first time at the
next general election. 1t is Of obvious i'm
portance that on such an occasion the cleo
toral machinery should be In the hands OF
the friends OF the reform, and not in those
OF enemies who have sturdily resisted it.
The Liberals felt sure that with universal
suffrage they would obtain an immense ma
jority, provided the votes were freely cast
and honestly counted. and on that account
even the most suspicious and actable
Republicans believed that the Liberal chief.
SAGAsTA, would abide by his assurance that
no official interference with the electors
should take place. Confident that for
the first time since 1874 they would
have representation In the lower
House OF the Cortes proportionate to
their strength in,the country most OF the Re-
publicans were disposed to give up, or ct all
events postpone. schemes Of revolution, and
submit for the present to the rule Of the Queen
Regent They know well, on the other
hand, that under the expert and unscrupu-
lous manipulation Of CANovAs universal
o,,ffr yuill n n n q
was under tho French second empire.
Thenceforth despairing Of constitutional
propagation Of their opinions. they will re-
vert to the doctrine preached by GORILLA.
that to overthrow the monarchy is the sole
resource Of lovers Of liberty In Spain.
With the fall OF SAGAsTA vanishes the last
chance OF efrecting the military reforms,
which by those conversant with the state OF
things in Spain are recognized as scarcely
less indispensable than tho extension OF the
suffrage. 1t is true that the Liberal leader had
not been able to rid the country Of the super
numerary Marshals, Generals, and Colonies,
who exhaust the army budget and block
the promotion OF the younger officers. 1t is
true that he has repeatedly sacrificed q
Minister Of War for insisting on thorough
purgation OF the army list, but he has
been careful in each instance to appoint
War Minister no less favorable to reform
than his discarded predecessor. Nor did
any ono doubt that when SAGAsTA had
secured a firmer hold on power at the
coming general election he would re-
press military abuses with an iron hand.
His friends had repeatedly declared that
universal suffrage must precede trenchant
Tf hn rUoJy fnF p1xyo
tory declaration Of the whole nation could
outweigh the influence VIGOROUSLY welded
at the court by the cabal Of superfluous
Marshals and Generals. Tho latter were
perfectly alive to tho danger which threat
ened them. 1t is they. unQuestionably. who
through tho ascendancy of their friends In the
palace have dealt the blow to SAdAsTA and
to the cause Of liberalism In Spain.