New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-04
SPANS CABINET CRISIS.
SAGASTA PREPARING THE WAY FOR
HIS OWN RETIREMENT.
THE cARLrsTs GAINING STRENGTH GEN
ERAL AVERSION TO SERVING ON THE
PEACE COMMISSION.
fBY CABLE To THE TRIBrSE.1


fBY CABLE TO THE TRIBrSEl
Paris, Sept 3 Receved by mail from Madrid.)
One of the most significant results Of the war
is the disappearance Of the republicanist as a
political factor With the exception of a few
hundred workmen in Catalonia and Andalusia'
who are more Socialists than Republicans, the
Republican party. which in the days Of Gorilla
was of such formidable proportions. has now al
most ceased to exist and its only leaders. Cas-
tclar Salmeron. a sort Of Spanish Jules simon,
and ri Y Margal. too old or too feeble TO
have any influence Some artillery regiments at
the Madrid garrison are supposed to be ready to
support any active Republican chief but Spain
is each day becoming more and more mo-
narchical and clerical. Whether this reaction Is
strengthening Alfonsists Carlists Is as
nuted point but the Indications are that the
Carlist interests everywhere gaining ground.
The prevailing opinion here is that the much
talked of Cabinet crisis cannot be avoided IL ~
only question Of time. Sagasta himself Is pre-
pairing the way for his own retirement. ten
eraI Polavieja the Queen Regents deVoteu
champion. and all the supporters or the dyhas'!
are unanimous in favor of a Sivela-"afiia]o
Ministry The platform OF the coming CABINET ~
military economy and administrative regeh-
Grafton Of Spain" This sounds well IN theory
but the great objection TO the PROJECT Oh cNil
and military reforms is that ii means the crea-
ton of small army Of discharged employees
who would become available for the much-
dreaded civil war. the possibility Of which Is on
every ones lips.
Sehor Silvela in the presence Of the writer
recently expressed unbounded confidence In the
future. and said that with the weight OF
the entire Cuban debt ne felt certain that IN
five years Spain would be in a more prosperous
condition than ever. One Of Silvela's favorite
nIans for Spanish revival Is the opening up and
daveloping with foreign and domestic capital OF
the great mineral resources Of the peninsula.
All prominent men have so far shrunk from
acting on the Peace Commission. and even Senor
Castillo tho Spanish Ambassador at farls' Is
doing his best TO avoid representing a lost cause
at the Paris conference. and has asked that mis-
name he omitted from the list of commissioners
hecause General Porter. the United States Am
bassador in Paris. has not been named on the
American Commission In spite of all these
efforts however. it Is firmly believed mere that
Senior Castillo will be obliged TO serve his coun-
try on the Spanish Commission, no matter now
dlstasteful It may he to him. Sehor sagasta Is
very desirous that Sehor Moret should be
member Of the Commission. but Morets popu-
and. moreover he is the rreconcilable enemy or
Senior Leon y Castillo.
In CONSEQUENCE Of the petitions Of the manu-
racturers of Catalonia and the Basque prov
inces the Ministry Of Commerce is very busy
unon an elaborate scheme to be submitted TO
tho Paris conference by which IL Is hoped TO
secure a favored tariff In cuba and Porto Rico
for Spanish products and in return for this II
Is proposed to accord a similar favored tarin
for United States products in those portions Of
the Philippines Oceanic Islands that may De
left under Spanish dominion by the final treaty
OF peace This foreshadows the whole chapter
OF proposals likely TO be made in Paris in Oc-
tober.
The return To Madrid Of the commander OF the
ll-fatcd Crstobal Colon. and the expected nome
coming OF Cervera and his officers. cause con-
siderable embarrassment for SehOr Aunon. the
Minister Of Marine for. in spite Of reiterated
official denials It is now clearly established that
it was the Admiralty at Madrid that positively
ordered Cervera TO attempt TO escape from san
tiago Bay. and the people are beginning to real
ize that the Madrid Cabinet, and not Cervera, is
responsible for the destruction Of his ships
Admiral Camara and his squadron, with the
exception OF the auxiliary cruisers, are still In
Ferrol Harbor The Admiral is supervising the
decentralization Of troops from Cuba and watch
ing for any open activity on the part of the
carlists The principal reason for Issuing the
decree calling for an additional 100000 men
under colors Is TO forestall the Carlist recruit
ING agents. and thereby render any more able
bodied men OF the northern provinces unava-
able for the army OF Don Carlos.