The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-31
l.. A. King will sell you a high-grafe
wheel from S35 up.
senior sagastn, Statesman of spain.

80
Irony is the secret of the power
which Senior Sagasta. the present pre-
mier of Spain, Yields over his country.
In a country where even the peas
ants are impressively eloquent. and
where the language itself Is poetic. he
is strangely deficient in the graces OF
speech, and his voice is neither SON
orous. well toned nor impressive. In
fact. his u~tterances are rather hating.
vet when he Is addressing the cortes
or a political meeting every voice Is
hushed and every head bent forward
so as not to lose a single word OF the
uninterrupted volley of gentle sarcasm
which seems to pervade every phrase he
utters.
He Is a %wrinkled. kindly looking old
man of 20 years. who, unlike his great
rival. the late Senior Canovas, cares
nothing for society. He is almost AS
ignorant of it's usages as was his good
wife, who, on the first occasion that
shS attended a court entertainment as
wife of n premier. put To the test
even the traditional gravity Of the
Hidalgos by making a most profound
courtesy to every one OF the halber-
diers who, pike in hand. lined the
apartments and the s~taircases of the
royal palace.
She was firmly convinced that they
were grandees, and expressed to each
the customary complimentary wish
that he might live a thousand years
Sagasta is Of all the Spanish states
men the one who stands most high in
the favor of the queen and Of the little
king. His relations with the regent are
almost paternal i'm character and on at
least two occasions when he has con-
sidered IL polite for his interests, and
for those of the little king, he has de-
liberately resigned the premiership
and recommended her to trust the di-
rection of affairs to instead.
He is utterly without affectation i'm
his relations with her. completely dis
interested. and has thoroughly con-
WINGED her that he prefers the inter-
ests Of his little king even tn those of
his country. Nothing could be more
charming than the relations which
subsist between young Don Alphonso
and the old statesman. upon whose
knees he until a year & was fond
of clambering in order to play with
his eyeglasses.
Sagasta differs from most Of his
countrymen in being entirely devoid OF
all disposition to seek revenge for pas
injuries. Thus, i'm the early SOS Seno
lyon. the chief law officer of the crown
who filled a position similar tn that en-
joyed by the attorney general Of th'
United states i'm this country. demand
tu h'N hltftAN ~
likewise his execution as a revolution
list by means Of the disgraceful dealt
Of the garrote.
Yet on the first occasion that Sagss
Ia was called upon to form an admin
7 istration after the overthrow of tn
monarchy. ne made a point of inNitini
his self-same lawyer to accept TN
portfolio of minister of justice. and al
ways treated him with particula
kindness and consideration.
II is due to such d as thls ina
Sagasta has fewer real enemies ina
any other public man I'm Spain.
y But few people are aware mat "a
gasta is not merely a Free Mason, bu
likewise a grand master OF tire orde
in Spain-a fact which has contribute
In no small name to facilitate IN
relations between General Noodfo
and himself.
Yet, in spite of the notorious hosti
ity Of the Catholic church for the fra
n ternity. Sasasta has always been O
a the best of terms with the clergy
: Spain. and has. in fact. enjoyed a ia
greater degree of consideration at the
e hands than his conservative rivs
e Canovas.
sagasta is an engineer by training.