Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-01-05

less amendable than the smaller ones
had been to bribery and coercion, for
the Conservatives returned an immense
majority to the new Cortes. The other,
promise, that of relieving the military
chests from the drain resulting from
the pay of superfluous officers of high
grades, he violated, although several
Ministers of War had conscientiously
endeavored to carry out the retrench-
ment in question. All hope of military
reform was, of course, abandoned when
Canovas took Office, and there seems to
be now as little ground for it as ever,
seeing that Sagasta is dependent on
Conservative support.
Sagasta has declared that his policy
will be one of strict economy, and that
he will vigorously prosecute the en-
bezzlers of pbblic money. Owing to
the circumstances under which he as
sumed Office, but little confidence can
be placed in such assurances. The de-
feat of Canovas was due to revolt of
honest Conservatives against that Sec
ton of their party watch, even if not
currupt itself, was disposed to shield
evil-doers. A state of things had been
exposed in connection with the munich
pal government of Ma1rid which, as
regards the scale on which the city
had been plundered, may be compared
with the transactions Of Tweed and his
accomplices in New York. Not only
had the municipal bonded debt been
greatly increased for improper pur-
poses, but the floating debt. of which
no record had been published, had at
tanned startling dimensions. When
the facts leaked out the Mayor of
Madrid resigned, but public opinion
held the Conservative Prime Minister
responsible for the appointment of the
dishonest official, and it was member
of the Conservative party who moved
in the Cortes a vote of want of conf
dence. Is was suggestive of secret
understanding between Canovas and
Sagasta that in the division on that
motion the Liberals abstained from
voting. and thus left the Conservatives
to fight it out among themselves. The
vote of want of confidence was passed,
nevertheless, by a small majority, and
Canovas was compelled to retire from
office. Logically, he should have been
succeeded by the leader of the success
full faction of the Conservatives, and a
tinct issue of trenchant reform in the
Madrid municipal administration ought
to have enlisted the sympa-
thy and cooperation of the Liberal
party. As a matter of fact, Sagasta
reaped where he had not sown, and
has returned to Office by virtue of aa .
understanding, not with the reformers,
but with those whom the advocates of
clean government expelled from power.
The advanced age OF Sagasta will
permit him to remain much
longer in public life, and the Liberal
party may have ere long an opportun-
ty to justify its name and fulfill its
mission under the leadership of Gen.
Dominguez, who has accepted place
n the new Cabinet. Gen. Dominguez,
Who is, it is well known, nephew Of
Serrano, aud who has long
been the darling of the army, seems
to fill the role taken by
Zen. Prim almost a quarter of cent
Try ago. Experience has shown that,
Without the cooperation of the army,
he Republicans can never obtain con-
rol of Spain. If they once gain CO.
Idjutor in the person of q Liberal, who
3 at the same time distinguished
md influential General, they can easily
ubvert a dynasty which has no real
lold on the affections of the people.
III that has upheld the monarchy in
pain of recent years is the chivalrous
eluctance of Spanish officers to assail
rith violence throne whose tenants
ave been woman and child.-N.
I. Snn.
A Million Friends.
A friend in pooS1 ;c n fv~sox.<1 s~l--a -