The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-05-17
LEADING Up TO THE CRISIS.
Cabinets Inside History-Pr-War Cabi-
net Coming.

net Coming.
London, May 1.-THE Madrid CORE
spondent Of the Times says:
Il am now in q position to explain the
mysterious Cabinet crisis which has been
hanging IRE for several weeks and has
given rise to so many ingenious surmises.
Senior Sagasta and the Sagasta Cabine,
came into office with the policy OF avoid
ing Il conflict with the United States by
pacifying Cuba through autonomy. In
pursuing this poicy the Cabinet not only
ran counter to the general current OF
opinion in the Conservative party but did
violence to the feelings Of Il large section
Of its own adherents.
Its attitude was too conciliatory to
suit the bellicose temper of the nation
and consequently it became very I'M
popular. When the policy failed and
war was seen to be inevitable, III spite,
OF all the concessions. it ought to have re-
signed. make place for Il fighting Cabinet.
ministers deSlrOuS of peace ut any price
short of sacrificing the national honor
were not the men for conductingl affairs
in Il struggle against an enemy infinitely
superior resources.
y doubt Il Conservative Cabinet was.
practically impossible because it would
have required Il majority in the Chamber
H' q h't bl'ltilfsblt Without SUD
lecting the country to the dangerous or
deal Of Il general election. But such IN
extreme measure was not necessary.
There were many Liberals who had CON
demned the Cabinet for being to cOncilia-
tory, and who continued to urge it to
accept the arbltrament of war. they
were the men. it was naturally supposed.
who must be willing to accept the re-
SponSlbilltieS of office when Il war was
imminent.
80 1T seemed at least to several mem
bers OF the Sagasta ministry; and on the
very day of the opening of the Cortes
his colleagues urged upon Senior Sagasta
the ACCESSIBILITY of the Cabinet resignins
Immediately. Senior Sagasta objected.
He wished to temporize. Even after
some useless delay all he could be n
duced to do was to advise the Queen re-
gent to consult with important political
leaders the question of a change o,
Cabinet.
Though some of these had shown
themselves very bellicOSe when war was
at Il comfortable distance, none was
inclined to assume the responsibilities of
o1flce when war was about to begin.
All therefore with the exception of one
or two were known to be DESTROYS of
hshing in the troubled waters. advised
strongly that the existing Cabinet CON
tlnlle. The Queen regent, who is always
surety constitutional i'll her acts. had
no other choice but to have Senor Sa-
gaSfa remain. There were rrecODcilah bio
dlfhcultleS of opinion among them ON at
least one vital question of policy: and Sey-
erai of them felt themselves as we'll as
some of their colleagues. were not cana
Die OF coping with the departmental
duties Of their office at Il time of great
national danger.
THE POINT OF DIVISION.
FINALLY, on Sunday, May 8. Sagasto
yielding 10 the representations of those
WHO wished to retire. rendered the Queen
regent the resignation of the Cabinet
Again the same important political per
S0nageS were consulted and again they
declined the responsibilities of office.
Things seemed at Il deadlock: but there
was till Il way out of it. The fundamen-
tai question of policy which divided Min
listers was whether the government
should still seek Il pacific solution by
provoking the friendly intervention of the
great powers or should it abandon all
present nope Of peace and Ugh to the
bitter end. Tn that question, affecting
the vital interests of the country. the
nation might wei! nave been invited 70
express an opinion by Il voice of its rep
lesentatives in Parliament. and there was
a possibility that IA more pacific policy
might result because Senior Silvela. the
leader of a party which had always
shown itself more bellicose than the Lib
erals, had used in the chambe certain