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Show DEATH OF SPANISH STATESMAN Former Premier Bagasta Paasea Avy at the Age of 79. Senor Prnxedes Mateo Snussta, foe mer premier of Spain, died at Madrid. Jan. 6, aged 7T yeara. Praxedca Malm Sagaata was borl at Torrecllla de Cameros, In tlia province prov-ince of Logrono, on July 24, 1827. lit began llfo aa a civil engineer, but at tho ago of 27 drifted Into politics. Spain's history during tho last ntll century haa been a stormy 0110, wltb brief Intervals of sunshine, and Sesor Sagasta had a hand III most of tbs exciting eventa that occurred. Ho took a prominent part In tho Insurrection In-surrection of is.'.ii, and when that if-fair if-fair miscarried he had to flv the country. coun-try. He took refuse In France, but when a general amnesty was announced an-nounced he returned to his natlte country and threw himself Into Journalism. Jour-nalism. He became editor of I. a Iberia, Ibe-ria, the principal organ of the progressist pro-gressist party, and aoon began to x-erclse x-erclse conslUcruhlo power. Constitutional methods of reforv, however, are terribly alow In Spain, and Senor Sagasta begun to weary of them. Thus he eagerly took part In tho Insurrection of June, lstlti. It was a dismal failure, however, and the future fu-ture prime milliliter was again compelled com-pelled to fly to France. He did not return to Spain until after the fall of Queen Isabella II. In the republican realms of 187' ha. .waa In Ulrica aa tut clan and sm aecrvtary and aa premier. The "coupf which restored the Hourbona trJ tl throne sent Sscasta Into a brliff a-tlrement a-tlrement Upon the death of the klat In 1885 and the retirement of the tire conservative government. Sagain found himself at tho head of affaiji.) and successfully combated the cla- ora of tho republicans, who ahrlell.lt for universal suffrage, till the bin of the little king, when 8ngaata. cl-fldent cl-fldent In the strength of the II her as, dissolved the cortua and won by a mall majority. It waa In this period that he k-vested k-vested hla party with that democratic character which la now more rnarksd than ever. In 18!)1 Sagasta was askta to form a party, but waa obliged Is resign within a month or so. The assassination of Senor Canons compelled the queen regent to appall to him aa the only available atatav man. In spite of his age he came to the rescue, formed a government, ant exercised considerable wisdom In dealing deal-ing with the many difficult problem, which confronted Spain at that tins), chief of which waa the insurrection b Cuba, where Weyler waa butchering the natives and otherwise creatine the troubles which eventually caurei the Spanish-Aroerb an war. Sagasn had always favored home rule for W- i Presides Mateo Sagaata. I Cuba, and although a law was passed.: It was never enforced, owing to tin Insurrection In the Island. I Apart from his political life Sagasta' was a gentle, kind hearted man, of even temper, sunny disposition, and with all a Spanlaid's love of power. |