The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-06

The news of the ex-Dremier's death
created a painful impression through
out Madrid. King Alfonso expressed
profound regret.
Praxedes Mateo Sagasta was prime
minister Of Spain during the Spanish
American war, having been appointed to
the leading position in the cabinet in
1897, the year before the war began. He
resigned December 3, 1902, informing the
king that the opposition had treated him
with distrust and discOurtesy. Senior
Manuel SilVela, a rabid anti-Anerican.
ist, succeeded Sagasta December s, 1902.
Senior Sagasta, though native bOrIs
Spaniard, was very foreign in appear
ideal Spanish type as can be imagined.
He was rs years old and had been nearly
fifty years in public life. He survived all
his great Spanish contemporaries, such
as General Prim, King Alfonso XII,
MartOs, Castelar,, CampoS and CanOvas
del Castillo. Belonging to the ancient
school of politics, he probably owed his
numerous successes more TO lack u
policy than to any definite plan or really
great qualities. He thus drifted from
premiership to premiership, until nobody
IN Spain. least of all himself, knew
where he stood politically though NOM
lnaIly he was a Liberal. A Liberal, YET
he was oftener called by Queen Regent
Christina to form cabinet in a crisis
than any other man in the nation.
{. Starting out in his career as an eng1-
neer, in 1854 Sagasta was elected to the
constituent cortes. and from that time
had been factor in Spanish politics. In
1856 and again in 1866, having taken
part in instructions against the gov
eminent, he was imprisoned but escap-
ed and was compelled to seek refuge in
England and France, the first time with
the penalty of execution by the garrOte
hanging over his head Returning to
Spain after the overthrow of Isabella II,
he was appointed minister of the inter
Tor in General Prim's cabinet and later
a minister of state, which office he had
during the brief reign of King ANA
deus, having declared in favor of the
monarchy. Under the presidency Of
Marshal Serrano in 1874 he was sue
cessively minister of foreign affairs,
minister of the interior and president Of
the council. When monarchy was re-
tablished, he pretended to withdraw
from public life. but finally gave his ad-
herence to King Alfonso XII, and I'M
dertook to form a Liberal Constitutional
party.
The king and Sagasta did not get
along we'll together, however, and when
the former concluded he could do with
out him the latter went over to the op-
position and attacked the administra-
ton formed by Martinez de Campos and
met was overthrown in 1882, and Sagas-
ia came into power by a compact with
Campos, holding the ministerial posi-
ton until 1888 when he was Ousted by
an adverse coalition.
It was on the death of King Alfonso
/ XII. in November, 1885, that Sagasta
came into his position of real power,
when the queen regent called him to
4 take charge of the government. The
widowed queen. distracted by the
alarming conditions then prevailing,
/ early formed the habit of calling Sa-
/ gasta to her side in emergencies, and
her reign was mainly conducted under
4 the cabinets formed by this astute old
statesman. He held on from 1885 to
1890 when the Conservatives were re-
turned to power under Canovas del Cas-
tillo, only to be followed from 1893 to
/ 1895 by Sagasta. who in turn, was sue
ceeded again by Canovas, the assassina-
/ ton of whom in 1897 threw the cabinet
! into Sagasta's hands though its nom
! inal head was General Azcarra ga.
SPANS war with the United States
was fought under Sagasta's premiership,
4 though through no fault of his for he
was then for the sixth time at the head
of affairs in Spain Again in 1901 Sa-
! gasta was for a seventh time requested
to form cabinet and selected as his
/ collea cues the men who resigned a
couple Of months before. Among them
was Weyler whose enmity Sagasta in
/ CURED when he relieved him of COM
mand in Cuba, but whom he for a time
/ placated by the cabinet position of min
lister of war.