Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-02-23
SENIOR SAGASTA'S WOES.
Spanish Cabinet Attacked by the
Republican Leader.
THE REPLY OF THE PREMIER.

'We Have Lost the Colonies, But Have
Avoided Civil WARTIME Republicans
Alone Endanger Liberty''-- General
Lfnares Challenges Count d'AImenas
Madrid Feb. %. The meeting of the
bureaux last evening TO appoint a com
mission to examine the bill for the ces-
sion of the Philippines resulted only in
a nominal ministerial success. Although
the ministerial candidates chosen were
four and the opposition candidates only
three, yet on a division the opposition
will muster 81 votes as against 81 min
isterialists. The opposition will, there
fore, submit counter measure.
The Republican motion in favor Of
summoning the constituent assembly led
to a stormy debate in the chamber of
deputies. Professor Salmeron, the Re-
publican leader, in the course of a yio-
lent speech, said the Republicans had
resumed their seats in parliament in
order to force the government to ac-
cept its responsibilities. In his opinion
not only those governing, but present in
stitutions themselves. would fall vie
tins to the present disasters. He Sc
verely censured the ministers for en-
deavoring to save the monarchy rather
than the country.
Your colonial policy" he said, was
disastrous because you joined sword and
cassock in order to restore a feudaI
theocracy, with all sorts of privileges.
The government has surrendered to the
United States Spain's whole colonial
empire and the peace that has been
signed is the most shameful recorded III
history"
Senior Sagasta in replying said: eve
lost the colonies, but we have avoided
civil war. When You We're in power
greater calamities occurred. The Uni
ted States drove us to war, for which
no regime is blameable, and no regime
could make a nation weakened by two
colonial rehellions strong. | will oppose
reaction with all my force. / am in
capable of destroying the nations liher-
ties. It is the Republicans alone who
endanger the liberties of the country by
breaking the law"
Professor Salmeron, after being called
to order for a yelled reference to the
crown, declared that the Conservative
party was primarily responsible for thu,
country's disasters, since it had failed
to apply in Cuba reforms voted by all
parties. and that the present government
must also be held responsible for making
dishonorable peace. He advocated
calling the constituent assembly, which.
he said, would kill forever both Carlism
and any attempt at dictatorship" He
appealed to the Liberal and Democratic
forces to cooperate and so prevent the
triumph of the Vatican and the Reaction
aries
The result Of the debate in the cham
Der upon the motion of Senior Silvela.
leader of the Conservatives, censuring
the government for Indifference to the
country's troubles was the withdrawal
of the resolution.
General Linarcs, who was in command
of the Spanish troops at Santiago at the
time of the capitnlation, has challenged
Count d.Almenas to duel on account
of the attacks which the count made
upon him Monday and Tuesday in the
senate in connection with his arraign-
ment of the conduct of the Spanish gen.
erals engaged in the war with Cuba