New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-09
WASHINGTON STARTLED.
THE MURDER OF CANOvAs DISCUSSED
WITH GREAT INTEREST.


CUBAN INsURREcTIoN.
Washington Aug S.-This Government prob
ably has already received the formal notincatlon
of the assassination Of Premier Canovas but.
If so. II is locked up with other dispatches IN
the State Department and VIII not ne known
untu Secretary sherman reaches the Depart
nent Tomorrow morning. The State Depart
ment according to its usual custom, will imme-
diately announce the affair to the President, ana
no will make some formal and public expression
OF the Governments deep regret. Just In what
form this expression will be couched is not
known. for presidents differ but it will doubt
less be a dispatch to the Spanish Government
simple and sympathetic in its terms
TALK WITH SECRETARY SHERMAN.
Secretary Sherman received the first news or
the affair through the Associated Press buiie-
tin. He expressed deep interest in the details
He said: This deplOraDle event VIII nave some
effect of course. on the political affairs OF spain
but to what extent / cannot say. The death OF
one man is not necessarily going to change the
sentiment of the whole country. Spain is very
tenacious country. Her money Is gone. her
resources have been exhausted. But she means
evidently TO hold on to Cuba. Just how she can
do II under these circumstances I cannot see.
Yet she Is opposed 10 !leluiIlB a punt ''''N'
Canovas was a strong partisan. He was the
chief exponent Of the element which was de-
termined to keep the island at all hazards.
Seemingly, Spain Is almost unit on this.
Canovas was a strong factor in the Government
of Spain. but it is not impossible that another
will be found to replace him in that important
Office having similar views and the same pro-
nounced ideas. How it may be in this case
am not able to say, but the effects politically
of such an event are not essentially far-reach-
ing and have not always produced radical de-
velopments. AS to the consequences on the
conflict in Cuba. I do not care to tall. | have
no official information of the assassination. and
must refrain from venturing guesses as to what
it may effect in the future"
Asked to how long he now thought the
Cuban nsurrection might last he replied that
that was probematcal. and he did not care to
discuss it. He added that he had heard various
names OF prominent leaders in Spain mentioned
but he was not well informed as to them, and
there was nothing on which he could base a pre-
diction as TO Canovas's probable successor
VIEWS OF SENATOR MORGAN.
Senator Morgan. Of Alabama. member Of the
Foreign Relations Committee Of the Senate and
the foremost champion of Cuba in that body.
predicted that the assassination might be the
forerunner of a complete change OF Government
a republic replacing the monarchy. This he
thought. was the present tendency, and to-day's
affair he regarded as evidence Of the dlsnte-
grafton. of the Spanish Government He added:
This affair is going to create a complete
revulsiop throughout the whole Of Spain. That
country now is in very shaky condition. 1t
Is doubtless true that to-day's assassin was an
anarchist but the act Is representative Of a
feeling that exists all over the country. A
republican party has already attained great
strength, though. OF course. operations have
to he largely concealed. Then the universal
testimony Is that the bulk Of the Spanish Army
in Cuba is made up Of young men. This has
broken up families all over the land, and their
dispatch to the island to be led by Weyler has
developed a powerful sentiment in Spain Why
are the veterans kept at home? Look at this
powerful republican element that has grown MP
the effect Of denuding the country OF its young
men and the personal antagonism thus en-
gendered. the proximity of Spain to the broad
liberal influences OF the French Republic
where there are ties Of mutual affection and the
government exerts itself to help its citizens.
THE AssAsSIN's MOTIVE
The act does not mean personal prejudice
against Canovas. but against his political stand
and views. and the extreme element he repre-
sents. 1t was the well-developed symptom Of
the most deep-seated antagonism to cie creed
Of the Canovas party The Barcelona incident
gave evidence Of the tremendous anti-Adminis-
tration operations and the stricken Premers in
dorsement of Weyler. putting him in command
of Barcelona after that affair. greatly added to
Canovas's unpopularity The indications point
to the assassin as victim of that Barcelona in
cident.
The succcssorship to Canovas Is problemat
ical. believe. however. that the Administra
ton will realize the overwhelming influence of
the opposition and. seeing Canovas out OF the
way. will try some one with Cuban views a
degree removed from those Of Canovas in lib
eral direction.
1T is not improbable. and it is quite likely,
that Senior Praxedes MateO Sagasta, the dis
tinguished Liberal statesman. may succeed
Canovas as Premier. Sagasta Is seventy years
old. was Minister Of the Interior under the Pro-
visional Government of 1865, President Of the
Cortes in 1871, and has occupied the post Of
Premier Of the Spanish Government a number
Of times
Il believe that the Cuban conflict will be
ended at the cJbse of the present rainy season
This have frequently contended, and now
am confident Of II. The termination Of the af-
fair would thus he brought about in October"
The only member of the Spanish Legation in
Washington when the news Of the assassination
of Sefor Canovas received Julio
Galarza. the Third Secretary. Senior de LONE.
the Spanish Minister. is at Lenox. and all the
other members Of the Legation are scattered for
the summer.
Until $50 o'clock Senior Galarza had heard
iaiI, buta tba. ho,,
a telegram brought to him, and after read
ing IL, ne hurriedly left the Metropolitan Club.
where he was staying. saying merely that he
was going TO New-York. 1t is probable that he
will join Schor de LONE either there or in Lenox.
1t IL likely that this unexpected development
will bring the Spanish Minister back to Wash