The Washington herald., 1910-03-27

last man who should have been appoint
eG by Spain to represent her in the Unit.
ed States at such critical time. Seeing
In the visit Of Canalejas the possibility
Of reversal of his own policy at Wash
ington, he devoted all his time and his
energy to endeavoring to efface the IA
vorable impression created upon him by
President Mckinley and the other people
OF light and learning with whom the
owner Of FL Heraldo had been brought
into contact at Washington, seeking to
convince him that none CT them were
sincere.
He continued TO do this by letter after
the departure of Canaleias for Cuba.
twisting every act and every utteranee
by the members Of the United States
government into a seeming confederation
of his arguments. 1t may be recalled
that one of these letters. in which he
bluntly accused President Mckinley OF
the most outrageous hypocrisy and dou-
bie-faeedness. was stolen in transit
through the mails. presumably by some
Cuban empioye Of the post-office at Ha-
Vana, and. without ever having reached
Canaletas, was published in extenso in
the Cuban and American newspapers.
Inc appearance of Dupuy de Lome's
letter concerning the President and the
government in the columns of the press
OF course rendered his stay at Washing
ton impossible. He was given his pass
ports and requested to leave, while the
Spanish government FASTENED to EXPRESS
its regret for the behavior of its envoy.
ana at once appointed more cautious
and eoneiliatory diplomat. namely, Senior
Polo de Bernabe, in his stead.
But the appearance in print Of the let
ter Of Dupuy de LONE had undone all
the good accomplished here by Don Jose
Canalejas. creating the impression that
he shared the views OF Dupuy de LONE
and that 1t was the Spanish government
IN whose name he had spoken unoficiaIly.
but with so much eloquence. that was
insincere and hypocritical. rather than
the President and administration at
To make matters worse, the pubIica-
ton of the Dupuy de LONE letter in the
American press took place on the very
morning of the day on which the Ameri-
can cruiser Maine was SO mysteriousIv
blown up in the harbor of Havana. q
fatality that completed the destruction
81 the work Of conciliation OF Canaletas
and which virtually precipitated the war
between Spain and the United States
which he had striven so arduouslv 10
avert
Canalejas is now prime minister of
spain, and among his colleagues. as min
ster Of the interior. he has the son-in-
nw Of his old friend and chieftain Sa-
;asta, namely, Don Fernando Merino-
EiilaTino, who. one OF the leading iron
masters of the province of Leon and
governor OF the Bank Of Spain. shares.
spanish fashion. the nobiliary honors of
us wife. Dona Esperanto Sagasta. who
vas created a countess In her own right
N the death of her father.
The minister of foreign affairs. Don
danuel Garcia Prieto. a very clever man
Il strong character. is the son-in-law of
'enor MOntero Rios. who will be remem-
ered here as the principal Spanish plenI- |
otentiary in the negotiations for the |
featy Of peace after the war of 1898. and |
rho became leader of the Liberal party |
n the demise of Sagasta.
Still another of the new ministers ia 1
ION Trinitario Valarino, son-in-Iaw of
enor Capdedon. who is one of the older
Of the Liberal party and a
MEMBER Of most OF the cabinets Of the /
tie Senior Sagasta, while the portfolio
minister of finance has been assigned /
Senior CObian, who. fortunately. has a
ell established reputation as an expert
economic matters, since one of the
rincipal and most pressing tasks of the /,
government Is the reorganiza-
on OF the finances of the state in such a
ay as TO admit Of the revenues reaching
lie treasury in their entirety. instead of
it'll leakage en- route that Is so phe-
large as to be almost incredi- ,
lie.
The principal feature about the new
is the relative youth of !
e members thereof. They are all men
the prime of life. instead of veterans
10 premier himself being but ffty-sfx |
'ars OF age. The consequence is that
ey are imbued with energy and with a
solve TO accomplish something, even IL
involves hard fighting, instead of eter-
lily compromising with adversaries and {
temporary peace by means
concessions. This has been the fault
most of the older Liberal statesmen I
ice the death of sagasts, especially of I
nor Moret, who Canalejas has Just sue
eded in the office of premier. Il
horet was forever compromising. and
ing to this accomplished so little in
e way of bringing about the reforms
which his following was committed =
at the people became disguised with a
rty which more than any other per- s.
1iied that defect Of Spanish character. .,
mely, procrastination. the policy of v
is to say, OF putting off
srything till the morrow.
indeed, it is a remarkable fact that p
hough Moret has been premier three
les since the disappearance from the Y,
ne Of Sagasta. no reforms. nor even
y measures which in this country b;
uld be regarded as progressive, have
n placed to the credit of the Liberals
ring his term of Office. Fl
! was not, however. this that brought ds
,ut the fall of Moret from the premier do
p and the accession to Office of Canale-
II must be understood that In Spain W
s out of the question for any govern
Mt to remain in office, no matter how
its parliamentary majority. unless it Fl
what may be called working con
on the part Of the Opposition. which, ! eli