Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/342

 334] FOEEIGN HISTOEY. [1899.

Treasury, and it was employed in discharging some of the arrears of pay due to the soldiers brought back from Cuba. Whilst keeping a strict watch on the Carlists, the Ministry gave a rare proof of their courage or their confidence by holding the elections without the usual preliminary dismissal of mayors, municipal officers and ambassadors appointed by their predecessors. Meanwhile, the Queen Eegent having ratified the treaty of peace with the United States, diplomatic relations were resumed, and the Duke d'Arcos was despatched to Washington whilst Mr. Storer was accredited to the Court of Madrid.

The unusual electoral policy of the Government produced (April 16), nevertheless, the usual results — an absurdly unequal division of seats, the lion's share falling to the Government and the remainder divided among its opponents. The actual results as classified were : Silvelists, 180 ; Polaviejists, 33 ; Ultramontane8, 30 ; Tetuanists, 18 ; Sagastists, 86 ; Dissenting Liberals or Gamazists, 30 ; Eepublicans, 15 ; Eomerists, 5 ; and Carlists, 4. The fewness of the last-named group was due to the fact that the Pretender had ordered his supporters to abstain from taking part in the elections ; but this did not prevent disorders taking place at Bilbao, Tortosa, Seville and Saragossa. The senatorial elections which took place a few days later passed off without incident.

The Ministry, finding itself supported by a strong majority in Parliament, determined to disarm its opponents, and espe- cially the Carlists. Numerous arrests were made, and the Minister of Justice appointed a commission to draw up a bill for preserving to the Basque provinces whatever remained of their local laws and rights.

Scarcely, however, had the Cortes reassembled when the rivalry between its two most important members showed itself more strongly than ever. The court ranged itself on the side of the War Minister ; the commercial world on that of Silvela. The war had necessitated enormous expenditure, and Sefior Villaverde cried out for economy. The election of the officers of the Chambers scarcely showed the real strength of parties. Sefior Pidal was chosen President of the Lower House by 395 to 216 votes, and Sefior Martinez Campos of the Senate. A somewhat keener struggle took place (June 19) over the proposal to ratify the sale of the Marianna and Caroline Islands to Germany, but the point was carried, and the opposition of the Liberals to the Budget was thereby somewhat disarmed.

It was not, however, from the political camp that the most serious opposition to the financial policy of the Government was to come. The Budget, as prepared, took no note of the exhaustion of the country, and increased by nearly 30,000,000 pesetas the military expenditure. The productive classes of all kinds were united, and threatened to organise opposition throughout the kingdom. The Chambers of Commerce ap-