POLITICAL CRISIS IN SPAIN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLI, Issue 317, 5 December 1906, Page 2

POLITICAL CRISIS IN SPAIN.

THE NEW PREMIER RESIGNS. [United Press Association.— Copyright) MADRID, Tuesday. Senor Moret, the new Spanish Premier, has resigned, and Senor Monte Rios has been summoned to form a Cabinet. THE INFLUENCE OF THE VATICAN. In connection with the. recent changes of Government in Spain, Senor Moret being called upon to form a Cabinet, and now resigning, it may be stated that for some time it has been anticipated that a political crisis would arise as the result of the strained relations between Spain and the Vatican. The following interesting comments written recently by the San Sebastian correspondent of the London "Daily Telegraph," illuminate a position which has culminated in another change of Government : — "In reality there exists no motive for a crisis except the personal ambitions of certain Liberals, because the Go- J vernment has repeatedly stated that it has decided to present to the Cortes projects of a Radical tendency, bringing to the front the question of the associations and submitting the congregations to the common law. If the liberals do not abandon their present policy and unite against ..the Clericals, the life of any Government will become impossible. For the Crown the situation ia difficult, the result of it being that the King will find every other solution impossible than to call upon the Conservatives. One suggested way out of the difficulty is to ask Senor Canalejas to form a Ministry, but this would be fought tooth and nail by the Moretists. Reasonable people who are out of the political swim have lost faith in the present party leaders. They are convinced that under existing conditions all government is impossible. Since he attained his majority, King Alfonso has seen nearly 100 Ministers come and go, much against his desire to have lasting Governments. "The Vatican, which is accurately informed as to the political situation in Spain, foments with considerable ability the divisions of the Liberals, hoping in this manner to bring about a crisis, which will render necessary a dissolution of the Cortes. Shoul'd this happen the fight with Rome will be lost, because the Conseryatives, on their return to power, will initiate a policy of stagnation, not daring to recede for fear of disturbances, nor to advance a single step, because with the exception of the group led by Senor Date, they are all Clericals. "A highly-placed personage with whom I was speaking yesterday, informed me that the present political situation is most deplorable. The King gives every possible facility for liberal and progressive government, but the result is sterile.- The programmes of political egotists are simply reduced to the placing in office of their friends. They are occupied solely with personal questions, and ideas are forgotten. It thus happens that people who are not well informed believe that these repeated crises are brought about by difficulties which the King puts in the way of Ministers. Thij, however, is quite erroneous, for King Alfonso has never displayed any personal preferences, his sole desire being to have a Government which will outlast the legal life of the Cortes. To speak of the traditional obstacles opposed in the Palace to ideas of progress is to falsify the truth and damage the Crown, because, as my informant added, 'Europe believes that our Sovereign is a reactionary, whereas the case is exactly the opposite, the Government, and Tint the King, being to blame for all that happens* The King is the first to lament the existing political instability." "Don Alfonso," my informant concluded, "desires that the Liberals should remain in power, and if tlie matter were in his hands the present Government would last the five years of the legal life of the Cortes."