The government under the restored monarchy was nominally in the hands of a Ministry re sponsible to the majority in the Cortes, but per sonal factions and rivalries disintegrated parties to such an extent that this was not so in prac tice. There were two leading parties—Conserva tives, and Liberals or Constitutionalists, both upholding the constitutional monarchy. The remnant of the Ca rlists could do little hut agi tate. The Republicans lacked a leader, since Castelar had given up the repuldican programme as impracticable. Canoras del Castillo returned to power in 1884, after having been out of office for three years. On November 25, 1885, Alfonso 111. died, and his widow, Christina, who was pregnant, became Regent of the kinvdom, the Pre miership being intrusted to Sagasta. On May 17, 1886, Christina gave birth to a son, who be came King as Alfonso X t 1 1. Sagasta governed with vigor, energetically repressing military up risings, and brought about the enactment of a measure providing for universal suffrage. A Conservative Ministry under Cdnovas del Castillo was in office from July, 1890. to December, 1892. The succeeding Liberal Ministry under Sagasta was unpopular because of its attempt to apply needed economies and its severe meas ures to repress anarchism, which had become rampant in Catalonia. In 1895, when a new revolt broke out in Cuba, the Conservatives returned to power under Canovas del Castillo. The army of ficers were dissatisfied with the growth of the civil power and restive under the criticism of an increasingly independent press. Premier C5novas de] Castillo was assassinated in 1897, and Sagasta took hits place at the helm, in time to face the problems of a war which was already imminent. The Cuban revolt, which consumed
the flower of the Spanish army, and in the effort to suppress which the most cruel military meas ures were instituted, produced complications which led in 1898 to a conflict with the United States. (See CUBA; SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR; UNITED STATES.) This unequal struggle was brought to a close by a treaty of peace negotiated at Paris, December 10, 1S9S, by which Spain re linquished her sovereignty in Cuba, l'orto Rico, and the Philippine Islands. Later the Caroline, Pelew, and Ladrone Islands were sold to Germany.
The military party under Weyler (q.v.) made the peace treaty an issue, and forced Sagasta out of office. A Conservative Min istry headed by Silvela came in but resigned in October, 1900, and a reconstruction was ef fected under General Azcarraga on distinctly military lines. A congress of the Spanish-Ameri can States was held in Madrid in November, 1900, at the instance of the Sociedad Union thero-Americana, for the purpose of establish ing more cordial relations with these offshoots of the older Spain. Anti-clerical disturbances in 1901 pointed to a growing spirit of liberalism and independence. A new government was organ ized under.Sagasta, March 6, 1901, and adopted a stern attitude toward the religious Orders. King Alfonso X111. came of age May 17, 1902, and the regency was terminated. For several months Sagasta retained office with great reluc tance, and on December 6, 1902, the Ministry retired and an entirely new Cabinet was consti tuted by Silvela.