The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-06
Fell Into a SyncOpe and His End Was
Announced Four Hours Before
He Actually Expired.
SKETCH OF HIS LONG CAREER
WAS PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET
MEMBER MANY TIMES.
Retired to Private Life Only a Few
Weeks AgO-Hawaiian Bishop and
Other Persons Dead.


gasta died at II o'clock Tonight. At 6:So
o'clock he was seized by a syncope. and 1t
was then thought he was dead. He rallied,
however, and lived for four hours and
half His death was due to bronchitis and
gastric trouble The statesman's family
and friends were at his bedside when he
passed away. the last sacrament being adj
ministered this afternoon
Senior Sagasta's intellect was unimpaired
until he fell into syncopal condition. He
talked to his daughter, the presidents of
the Senate and of Congress and to the
archbishop of Toledo. King Alfonso has
written a letter of sympathy to Senior
Sagasta's family. During the former pre-
mier's illness the Queen mother and other
members of the royal family frequently
sent officials to inquire to his progress.
The funeral probably will be held on
Wednesday.
The news of the former premier's death
created a painful impression throughout
Madrid.
Praxedes Mateo Sagasta, who succeeded
Canovas del Castillo as Spanish premier on
the assassination of the latter, and held
the portfolio of foreign affairs with the
chancellerie until his resignation few
weeks ago, was born at Torecilla de
Cameros on July q, 1927 He studied en-
gineerng at Madrid, and for time prac-
ticed his profession at Valladofid and
Zamora, but soon drifted into politics, and
was elected to the Cortes by the last
named town in 1854. He was obliged to
seek refuge in France because of the part
he took in the insurrection of 1856, but.
on the proclamation of amnesty, returned
to Spain, and then became a professor in
the School of Engineers at Madrid. He
still continued to take an active part in
politics. however, and became the editor OF
La Iberia, the principal organ of the Pro.
gressist party. His bold proclamation of
Liberal principles again brought upon his
head the emnity of the despotic ministers
| of Isabella III, and on account of his par
| ticipation in the unsuccessful instruction
| of June 1866. he was condemned to death
! for treason, and again fled to France for
| his life. Sagasta remained in exile until
! the overthrow of Isabella III in 1865 when
| he returned to Spain and was appointed
minister of the interior in the provisional
| government formed by General Prim. His
| views gradually drifted in the Conservative
| direction at this time, and he completely
broke off his relations with his old Radical
friend Gorilla, a change which exposed him
| to bitter attacks from the Republican
| minority in the Cortes. He became more
| and more reactionary, however, and. being
| appointed minister of state in January.
|
celona. to be placed in state of siege,
and formally declared himself in favor of
| the monarchy. After the Italian Prince
Amadeus had taken the oath as King.
solution of the Chamber. He remained
minister of state and of the interior in the
first Cabinet under Amadeus, during whose
| brief reign he took part in several minis
| terial combinations, sometimes as presi-
dent of the Council and at others as mere
| ~ mead of department. When Amadeus
| Ia Kerr M i'm q 1y hana
| ident, Sagasta was, In January, 1874, made
minister for foreign affairs, became minis
| ter Of the interior in May, and finally pre-
mier in August
Sagasta withdrew for a time from public
life after the re-establishment of the Bour-
bon dynasty, but in June, 1875, gave in his
| adherence to the cause of Alfonso XII. He
then endeavored to form a Liberal Consti-
tutional party, and finally joined the op-
position against Martinez Campos and
| Canovas. 1S77-79, and, when a new Liberal
party was formed. in 1880. gave in his ad-
hesion to it and ultimately became its
leader. Early in 1881 he came into power
pos, but was overthrown in October 1888
when his Ministry was succeeded by one
formed from the Dynastic Left. The Con
servatives, however soon returned to pow.
er and on the death of Alfonso XII, in No.
vember, 1885, Sagasta was again called tC
the head OF the government. He was
obliged to materially reconstruct his Min.
istry in 1888, and again in January 1890
but in July OF that year was driven from
power and replaced by Canovas, who re-
manned at the head of the government un
til the elections of March, 1898
SaSasta then returned to Office as pre-
mier and retained that position until the
accession of Canovas to power I'm March
1895. Twice during 1S94-in March and AGAR
in October-he was obliged to reconstruct
his Cabinet on account of the constant anC
irritating opposition which ii encountered
and he finally abandoned the attempt
During the last Canovas administration
Senior Sagasta maintained what might b,
styled an expectant attitude refrainins
from open criticism of the government il
its strenuous but futile efforts to suppress
the instruction in Cuba