The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-05
THE SPANISH CRISIS.
NOT BROUGHT ABOUT BY STATE
OF CUBAN AFFAIRS

Accommodation Of he Minister OF FL
nance the Chief Cause-Specu,ation rs 10
Political Completion Of the New Cabinet.
Its Important B- airing Upon the Line Of
Policy Of Our Governmental sagasta
Ministry Would Mean Much for Cuba
Washington, September 3e.-Minister
Woodford, up to the hour Of closing the
department today had not informed the
state department of the Spanish cabi-
net crisis. The main point of interest
here at present is the composition of
the new abine and it is expected that
Mr.. Woodford will not neglect to OBJ
tain and cable to his government the
earliest information possible on that
point. In administration circles today
opinions are fairly divided as to the
outcome, whether the new cabinet will
be liberal or conservative and as that
is the matter Of gravest Importance to
our government, as influencing the line
Of policy to be followed as to Cuba,
there is a strong desire to obtain in
formation as to the prospects.
The president had scarcely reached
the White house this morning before
Secretary Sherman called to see him.
He was closely followed by Assistant
Secretary Day, and, although it is I'M
derstood that the latter's visit had
: largely to do with state department
appointments, it is not doubted that
there was a discussion Of the last Mad
rid developments.
In the absence Of the Spanish minis-
ter, MI. du Bose is the senior official
here, but he has not called at the state
department and has not, so far as can
be learned, received official advices
from Madrid.
Diplomats familiar with Spanish
affairs say the conditions point to one
Of two results; namely, the complete
collapse of the conservative regime.
which has been responsible for the
Cuban policy and it's succession by a
liberal cabinet with pacific and concil-
iatory tendencies toward Cuba, or else
a transition ministry with Azcarra-
ga again at the head as a temporary
experiment to tide over affairs unit
the cOrtes can meet and q permanent
and stable ministry be formed. Officials
believe that a complete change OF min.
istry and political parties, with Sagas.
ia as the new leader, is the more prob
able.
1t is stated with positiveness that
American affairs did not bring on the
crisis, but that it vas u entirely tc
internal politics, of which the excom-
m%unication of Senior Navarro Reverter
minister of finance in the fallen cabi.
net. formed a part. This fact has beer
briefly mentioned in the cable dis
patches, but the circumstances OF the
accommodation are more fully e
planned here. It appears that the min
lister OF finance decided that the church
property in an interior diocese should
pay taxes as other property. This was
opposed by the bishop, who claimed a
church exemption, and excommunicat-
I'd the minister for insisting. The case
has now been appealed to Rome fol
final determination. In the meantime
the accommodation Of the minister
stand and to some extent has its In
fuence against the entire cabinet.
The feeling tha Sagasta is to be the
coming premier, either at once or after
a transition ministry ~retires, leads to
many favorable comments on his abil1-
ty by those who know him personally,
A leading American diplOmat-one who
has been conspicuous in Spanish
American affairs-said today that Sa-
gasta's assumption of office undOubt-
edly would have an important and ben
efcial effect on the Cuban question and
the relations between the United
States and Spain. Sagasta is now &c
years old, but still retains the Vigo1
that made him a natural leader of the
liberals in earlier days. OF all the
Spanish statesmen, he is regarded as
the one most friendly to this country