This murder accelerated the disintegration of the system of rotation of the two political parties, which, as arranged by Cano vas and Sagasta at the death of Alphonso XII., had stood the monarchy in good stead as a substitute for a real constitutional practice on the lines of the English monarchy. While the old system deteriorated day by day owing to its own internal weak ness, it was attacked from the outside by forces of three different kinds: first, the anti-dynastic elements, once heaped together under the common name of republicans, now moving towards Socialism on the one hand and on the other towards different varieties of social revolutionaries such as syndicalists, anarchists and even professional agitators without any political or philo sophic bias ; secondly, the Catalan home-rulers, gradually evolv ing from autonomy to separatism ; finally the movement of what might be called military syndicalism embodied in the juntas de defense. A Conservative Government under Allendesalazar took office at Dato's death.
Morocco.—The military disaster which the Spanish troops met in Morocco in July 1921, beginning with the fall of the advanced post of Anual, entailed the withdrawal at heavy cost of the Spanish troops from all the zone previously occupied by the commanding officer in Melilla, the suicide of General Sil vestre, and considerable moral effects both in Spain and in the Rif. It swept away the Allendesalazar Government. A stronger Conservative Government was constituted under Maura who, backed by public opinion, sent 140,000 men to the rescue of the troops in Morocco. But an energetic demand for an inquiry made itself heard. As a set-off against this current of civilian opinion, the juntas de defense began a campaign of threats and accusations against parliament, which they held responsible for the general disorganization leading to the Moroccan crisis. In judiciously met by the Government at first, this demand had to be satisfied, and the Government decided to appoint General Picasso as an official investigator. General Picasso carried out his task with a high sense of duty and impartiality, and his report was received by all parties alike as a fine example of patriotism.
But this display of energy on the part of the Government in creased the opposition of the military juntas de defense. The cabinet sought a clumsy solution of this problem by a so-called "disbandment" of the juntas and their replacement by juntas informativas publicly and legally recognized and placed, at least in theory, under the authority of the war minister. This solution satisfied nobody. Senor Maura resigned in Jan. 1922, and though he continued in office by express wish of the king, had finally to disappear in March of the same year, leaving office to another Conservative cabinet under the leadership of Sanchez Guerra.
The Juntas.—The new prime minister, an energetic man, strongly opposed to the juntas, took office at a time when parlia ment was exceedingly weak. The juntas de defensa of the in fantry officers, authorized by the previous war minister, adopted a number of resolutions, two of which are an indication of their general attitude : ( 1) Every infantry officer to be bound to affiliate to the juntas, or otherwise to be prosecuted before a tribunal of his brother officers; (2) No promotion to be author ized in the army save by seniority. The army officers had thus
set up a form of military syndicalism which, owing to the material strength that it wielded, was a State within the State, while in parliament the opposition grew more critical of military in efficiency. The Picasso report was submitted to a parliamentary commission on which all the parties were represented. Parlia ment and public opinion grew more insistent in their demands for a condign punishment of the Moroccan setback and the Government collapsed.
Liberals and Morocco.—The Liberal coalition which, created in April of the same year, then took office (Dec. 1922) made it clear that it would uphold the parliamentary procedure adopted in regard to the conduct of the Moroccan campaign. Popular feeling backed the new Government.
The election held in April 1923 led to a Liberal-Reformist majority, but its sensational feature was the success of five out of eight Socialist candidates in securing election in the capital, attributed by the Socialist party to the strong line which they had taken against the war in Morocco.
The burden which the Moroccan question imposed on the Treasury was aggravated by other problems .which the nation was unable to put aside. The railways were face to face with a severe crisis. The economic situation had somewhat improved since 1920-21, when the tension between owners and men was at its highest, particularly in Catalonia, where professional agitators victimized both owners and men to such an extent that in the year 1921 there were in Catalonia alone 145 attempts on human life causing 90 deaths.
Primo de Rivera.—In Sept. 1923, the report of the parlia mentary commission on the disaster of 1921 was ready. Several politicians were stated to be deeply involved, some because they had accorded too much unconstitutional initiative to the king : other difficulties were raised owing to the ill-feeling with which the army received any parliamentary or civilian criticism of its action in Morocco. While the nation was anxiously awaiting the next development, a dramatic stroke brought suddenly to an end the system under which the country had lived since 1875. The captain-general of Catalonia, Don Miguel Primo de Rivera (Mar ques de Estella) rebelled against the Government, threatened its members with gaol, and seized power first and office afterwards. He had already once or twice appeared in the limelight owing to declarations on such questions as the surrender of Morocco, on which he held courageous if unorthodox views, and on the inter change of Gibraltar and Ceuta. This last expression of opinion had caused his removal from the position of military governor of Cadiz which he then occupied. At the time of the coup d'etat General Primo de Rivera was captain-general of Catalonia, his headquarters being in Barcelona.