The herald., 1897-08-09

premiership uOWu 10 1919 Wnen, on the
return Of Marshal Martinez Campos
from Cuba. he retired from the premier
ship and was succeeded by Campos, who
accepted as his colleagues the principal
associates of Senior Canovas. The oppo-
sition raised to the policy of Campos
soon forced him to retire. Senior Cano-
vas skillfully resisted, delayed and
finally defeated the free trade and
emancipation projects of Campos On
the reassembling of the cortes in De-
cember, 1879, Campos gave up the at
tempt to conduct the government ans
Senior Canovas formed new cabinet on
December 10Th, with a second Cuban
insurrection to be dealt with.
He charged Gen. Blanco with this task,
but the reactionary tendency of his
home policy became more and more
marked until the financial projects in
which he wished to embark drew upon
him the bitter attacks, not only of Cas-
telar and the Republicans, but also those
of Campos and Sagasta, and he was
compelled to resign. In 1881 he returned
again to power, but his Conservative
cabinet was speedily overthrown and a
coalition government, with Sagasta ana
Campos at it's head, took the reins of
affairs.
At the general election Of the same
year he was returned to the cortes from
Madrid and became the chief spokss-
man of the intermediate party, known
as the party of Conservative Liberals.
On January 8, 1884 he was called upon
to form a Conservative ministry. In
order to secure a majority devoted, like
himself, to ideas of order and Of liberty,
in harmony with the monarchical rrin-
ciple, he dissolved the cortes, and the
new elections resulted favoraby. But
ON November 26, 1885, on the question
of the occupation of the Caroline Islands
by Germany, he was again compelled TO
resign, being succeeded by Senor Sa-
gasta. The same day he was elected
president of the chamber by 222 votes
against 112 cast for Senor Robledo, and
he signalized his entrance upon his new
functions by a funeral eulogy of King
Alfonso XII, who had died the previous
day.
In 1890 another reversal brought him
back to power, and on July 9TH he took
the presidency of a Conservative cabi-
net. replacing the Liberal ministry OF
Sagasta. Two years later the pendu-
lum swung to the opposite extreme and
the Liberals, under Senior Sagasta, won
the general elections and retained power
until 1895, when disagreement in the
Sagasta cabinet led the queen regent to
summon Canovas again to the premier
ship.
Canovas came last into power on Feb
ruary Z, 1895. A number of officers had
broken into and pillaged the offices OF
various newspapers which had mace
insinuations against the conduct Of OIL
GERS engaged in suppressing the Cuban
revolution The war minister seemed
to support the officers, whereas, the
PREMIER Senior Sagasta, ordered the
Journalists to be protected. This led to
the retirement of the ministry.
Marshal Campos was temporarily
made captain general of Madrid and the
greatest excitement prevailed. FINALLY
Senior Canovas formed a ministry, al
though he lacked the support of a sec
ton Of the Conservative party. The
government was defeated on a vote of
censure on June l, 1895, but did not re-
sign. The general elections of April,
1895, returned an overwhelming major
ity to the cortes in favor of the policy OF
Canovas' cabinet, although the opposi-
ton charged that the ministerialsts car
ried away many of the election districts
by gross frauds. On June I'd last Senor
Canovas rendered the resignation of the
cabinet owing to the difficulty ministers
experienced in carrying on the govern
ment in favor Of the parliamentary sit
uation caused by the refusal Of the Lib
erals to take part in the deliberations OF
the cortes. This attitude of the Liberals
was due to personal encounter be-
tween the Duke of Tetuan, minister of
foreign affairs, and Prof. Comas, dis
tinguished Liberal sena tor, on May 21st,
when the duke slapped the face of the
professor after heated debate on the
Morgan resolution adopted by the
United States senate. After four days
conference with the leaders of all polit-
ical parties, the queen regent requested
him to withdraw the resignation of the
cabinet and he did so, being confirmed
by the crown in his ministerial powers
with the personnel and policy of the
cabinet unchanged.
Senior Canovas was the author Of nu-
merous works on moral and political sci
ence and of History of the House Of
Austria" which is in high repute, and
History Of the Decline of Spain from
the Accession Of Phillip III. to the Death
of Charles H." which ranks favorably
among works of its class from Spanish
writer's. Under the title of "El Solitaire"
he published monograph dedicated to
one of his uncles, Estabanes Calderon.
OF his litertry studies one of the most
general interest is volume on the con-
temporary Spanish theater which ap-
peared in 1886.
He had received the insignia of the
Order of the Red Eagle from the Empe-
ror of Germany, the grand cross Of the
Order of the Tower and Sword from the
king of Portugal and the Golden Fleece
from the king of Spain.
THE QUEEN INFORMED
MADRID, Aug. S-The queen regent,
on hearing the sad news, dispa tched her
own physician by a special train from
San Sebastian. Later, on learning that
Canovas was dead, she wired her condo
lence to the widow.
The health of Senior Canovas had i'm
proved greatly of late. He had been lead
ing quiet life, although he attended to
the business of state.
At the moment of the assassin alton he
was waiting in the gallery Of the bathing
establishment for his wife, who was to
Join him for luncheon. Suddenly the ae-
sassin, who had the appearance. of an
ordinary visitor, approached and fired
at him point blank, one bullet passing
through the body and coming out behind