The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-01
A CRISIS In SPAIN
RESIGNATION OF THE CABINET
TENDERED AND ACCEPTED

t" Whether the New Ministry Will be Con
servative or Liberal and its Effect on the
Cuban 0uestion-1he Liberal Leaders
Favor Home Rule for the Island
Madrid, September 29-The Spanish
cabinet has resigned.
The queen has accepted the cabinets
resignation, but has asked General
Azcarraga to continue in office until a
solution Of the crisis is found. Her
majesty will summon the leaders of the
various parties and the presidents of
the chambers tomorrow to consult as
to the situation. Senior Sagasta has
been telegraphed for and it is believ-
ed that the liberal leader will be asked
TO form cabinet.
The ministry whose resignation has
just been announced was constituted as
follows: Prime minister and minister
for war, General Mercelo de Azcarraga;
minister for foreign affairs, the duke
fo Tetuan; minister of marine, Rear
Admiral Don Jose M. Beranger; minis
ter of finance, Don Juan Navarro Re-
verter: minister of commerce and agri-
culture, Don Aureliano Linares Rivas;
minister for the colonies, Don Tomas
Ca5tellano; minister for the home de-
pa~tment, Don Fernando Cos Gayon
United States Minister Woodford, the
duke of Tetaun, and the president Of
the senate, Marquis de la Merrzed, held
a long conference today and General
WoodfOrd presented to General Azcar-
raga the members Of the United States
legation. Owing to the cabinet crisis
the Cuban pourparlers have been post
pOned.
Mdnight-It is said that Senior Sa-
gasta is in favor of superceding Cap
tain General Weyler and of granting
autonomy to Cuba Immediately
Senior Gamazo will probably be min
lister Of foreign affairs in the new cab
met.
On August 9th last it was announced
that SenOr Sagasta, the liberal leader
had made fresh declaration on the
political situation. He said affairs were
daily growing worse in Cuba and con-
tinued serious in the PHILIPPINE islands
He added that liberal ministry would
be ready to apply autonomy to Cuba.
Again, ON September Nth SenOr Sa-
gasta, referring to the Cuban insurrec-
ton, said the uprising, instead of dying
out, was spreading considerably. He
asserted that the Carlists propaganda
in Spain could not be viewed with in
difference and he expressed the belief
that reconciliation between the polit-
ical parties in Spain was impossible SO
iong rs the conservatives were In pow.
er. Senior Sagasta, in conclusion re-
marked: I'm my opinion the cortes will
not meet. but if they do meet their ex-
istence is ephemeral." Regarding the
relations between the United States
and Spain, the liberal leader refused
to express himself.
Washington, September 29.-The
news of the Spanish cabinet crisis was
first brought to the attention Of the Of
ficia!s OF the state department and dip
lomatic officials through the Associated
Press bulletin from Madrid, and up to
late hour tonight from no other
source was information on the subject
forthcoming. 1t is surmised that Min
lister Woodford's failure to cable the
department was attributable to the
fact that it was after nightfall in Mad
rid before the news became known.
1t cannot be said that the event caus-
ed surprise among the officials of the
state department, or among the men,
bers of the diplomatic corps in Wash
ington. A careful inspection Of the
cable news for the past few weeks had
left the general impression that the
cabinet erected in haste after the as
sassination Of Premier CanOvas could
not be expected to survive long There
were several reasons for this expecta-
ton, but perhaps the principal one was
the belief that the dissensions among
the supporters Of the government,
caused by the personal encounter be-
tween the duke OF Tetaun, the minister
for foreign affairs, and one of the lead
ers Of the dissident conservatives had
not been healed, but had. only been
bridged over temporarily. The dfssident
conservatives at the time insisted upon
the resignation of the duke as q con-
dition Of their further support of the
government. AS the government de-
pended. not upon a homogeneous party.
but rather upon a union OF various ele-
ments generally opposed to liberal
ideas for it's existence, that was "a
threatening condition and a crisis was
averted only through strenuous efforts
of conservative leaders T.'' '->,-@+
AS to what is to follow the resigna-
ton OF the cabinet, officials here are
completely in the dark. Secretary Sher-
man does not believe thatcit will mate
rally affect the relations of Spain
either to the United States or to Cuba,
which seems to indicate an expectation
on his part that when the cabinet is re-
organized it will be found to be still of
conservative tendency. On the other
hand. high officials in the administra-
ton expect that liberal cabinet un-
der the leadership of the veteran Sa-
gasta will De erected on the ruins of
the AZcarraga cabinet If this should
be the case. the future is held to be
full of promise for Cuba, for it is re-
called that the liberals haze not hesi-
tated to express their opposition to the
great expenditures of human life and
vast treasure in the effort to carry out
the repressive conservative programme
for the conduct of the war. 1t is not
believed that the liberals are prepared
to go to the length Of promising free
dom to Cuba, but from the expressions
Of the leaders Of the party, it is hoped
that they are willing to grant so liber-
al measure Of home rule and auton-
omy to the island that OF Spanish soy
ereignty nothing would remain save a