New-York tribune., 1903-06-21
AMBITIOUS PLAN OF WHICH

bers of the Left Centre but also The Democrats
and the Radicals, into one great Liberal party.
devoted TO the defence of the dynasty and 20
the support of the monarchy. At his request the
widowed Queen sent for Sagasta, intrusted him
with the formation Of 4 Cabinet and allowed
him to promulsate d political programme con-
tanning so many projects Of reforn-judcial,
military, naval financial and administrative
that he was enabled to negotiate d truce with
the Republican leaders. All that was chivaIrous
in their nature had already been aroused by the
utterly forlorn condition OF the young widowed
Queen, whose sole object was to safeguard her
dead husbands throne for her little girl Mer-
cedes and for The boy to whom she was TO
give birth several months later, and when Sa-
gasta came to them and informed them that
Christina had not only appointed him as Prime
Minister, but likewise accepted his programme
Of reforms which embr; ced many if not most
of the objects which the Republican movement
had in view they readily agreed to conclude a
truce and TO abstain from any warfare upon
the dynasty until Sagasta had found time TO ex-
ecute his promises
Between the making of a promise and its
fulflment there is often delay, nowhere more
than in Spain. country in which every
thing that be put off until the next day
is bly, postponed until tomorrow ma
mana" And although seventeen years have
elapsed since that truce among the crown the
Liberal Premier and the Republican leaders was
concluded the progra nme of reforms which
constituted the basis Of the agreement still
awaits execution. Old Sagasta, the craitiest
and most astute of Spanish statesmen, and past
master in the art of temporizing and of con-
ciliation. has gone to his last rest. after having
lived to witness the attainment by young klng
Alfonso Of his majority. Queen Christina 5 re
gency has come TO end, and to-day the young
sovereign has in power a cabinet composed Of
conservatives of the most reactiOnary type, who
are more strongly opposed than ever TO the en-
actment of any of the measures cOntained IN
Sagastas programme, and who have set their
faces against every kind of reform. The result
is that the Republicans have resumed active
warfare not merely upon the administration, but
likewise upon the throne, their ranks, as stated
above, being recruited by the very best and
most progressive elements OF the Liberal party,
which since the death of Sagasta has nc .onger
enjoyed any cohesion or unity of purpose
1t is not alone the politicians and the
called members of the liberal professions Who
are clamoring for reforms. 1t is the masses.
both in the urban and in the rural districts.
who demand relief from the ever increasing bur.
den Of taxation and the great merchants and
manufacturers, the mine owners and the other
princes Of industry in SPAIN who are deter
mined upon the removal Of the restrictions by
which their various enterprises as well as the
prosperity of the nation are hampered. There
has been an altogether remarkable advance in
the trade and industry of Spain since her var
with the United States and to-day she stands
fourth on the list of the cotton spinning coun-
tries of Europe Indeed. the growth of her ma
teraI prosperity during the last two years has
been something altogether phenomenal But
it has been in spite of the obstacles placed in
its way by a shortsighted government, which.
blind to all signs of the times and to all lessons
of the past has just announced its intention of
spending upon the reconstruction of the navy,
a vast sum of money which, if it is to be eX-
tracted from the pockets of the unfortunate
taxpayers and from the imposition of dues cal
culated to interfere with trade and industry
should at least be devoted to opening up this
country by means of railroads from the interior
to the seacoast and to otherwise developing he
natural resources of the kingdom.
There was a moment after the war with The
United States when a and happier era
seemed to be at hand in Spain The disastrous
conflict had served to call the attention OF the
nation to the various shortcomings of the ad-
ministraton and to lay the popular finger upon
the defects therein that called aloud for remedy
1t was announced alike by Liberals and by Con
servatives that the government-nO matter what
the party in power-would turn new leaf
and that a programme comprising reductions
of taxation, administrative reform and, above
ALL the arrest of extravaganza in naval and