PREMIER SHOT DEAD.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1597, 14 November 1912, Page 5

PREMIER SHOT DEAD.

ASSASSINATION IN SPAIN. SENOR GANAUEJAS ATTACKED IN THE STREET. FIVE SHOTS FIRED AT HIMBy Telegraph—Press Afiaociation—Cottyrig-lxt. Madrid, November 12. Senor Cftnalejns, the Prime Minister of Spain, lias been assassinated by a young men named Manuel Serroo Martin, aged 28' years. At the time he was attacked Senor Canalejas was walking in the city unaccompanied. He had stopped to look in a shop window near the Ministry of the Interior when Martin went np to him nad fired four 6hots point blank. Death was instantaneous and Senor Canalejas fell id tho gTound shot through the brain. The assassin fired a fifth shot at his _viotini as he lay on the ■ pavement, and 'then shot himself, but without fatal effect. King Alfonso, on being informed of the tragedy, at once proceeded to the Ministry of the Interior, and on arriving knelt in prayer beside the body, which had teen laid on a'table in tile central hall. It is believed that Martin's act was incited by. the fiery speeches at tho annual demonstration held on Sunday to commemorate the death' of Senor Ferrer, who was tried and shot in 1909 a-s the insti* gator of the Barcelona rising of thftt year. . There was a heartrending scene when the widow and children of Senor Canalejas were informed of liis death. 'Senor Garcia Prieto, Foreign Minister, has been appointed AcKng-Prehiier. THE LLOYD-GEORGE OF SPAIN. SENOR CANALEJAS AND HIS . . CAREER. Senor Oanalejas became Prime Minister of Spain in February, 1910, at the ag& of 56. H& had some years earlier founded tho Spanish Democratic party, and came into office.as.the.head of a Liberal Ministry, ':. whifeh caiised .a 1 ■ stir.; in- Stian. by its vigorous anti-clerical policy. He Wfis an aristocrat, Well born and Well bred, a maii widely travelled and still more widely read; bnt above all else was he the orator, whosa accents. . persuaded, aroused, and inspired. But for this gift he could not have stirred great audiences ajl over Spain, audiences often hostile or indifferent, or at most but heated to a momentary partisanship, In appearance he reflected tho modernism of his mind. One saw Mm, notes "Le Temps," in trim -new sack suite and natty strew _hats, swinging a slim cane and holdine in his hand some fresh French novel. Ho knew everybody in. Europe worth, knowings Tint his companions were the men who, jlid things.- Hβ longed to see Spain as modern as himself-mid therein lay the secret of his career. Business was ..the great aim and -end of things to Canalc las. Hβ chafed and fumed to see Spain lingering in the thirteenth century. Ho dreamt of schools of' commeres in everyconvent and longed to cut ut> the ancient cemeteries into buildiftg lots and sell them to the poor on the instalment sla-n. Nothing so n'Erayated the Senor as tp be assured that $pain W'st w.ait to- bo .modernised. "Wait. -vVhit! ■■ To-morrow, to-morraw!" he cried ,in tho. Corteis', "That has been the curse of Spain." The marked partiality for the society of Senor Canalejas which King'Alfonso showed in ■recent years was" attributed to. the sense of humour they had in.eomiß.on. 1 ■Sonor.Canivlejas was of many. poJiencSs, as might, from a. Spanish leader, and 'was''constantly applying the-.-friiits .of Ivis.. experience, to present-da.y , problemSi IJe was, for in-r •stance, ,witli/tho ..Spanisli, Arrny. iii Cuba during ths ; war with America in. 18?8i and saw enough there! of the Span'ish' Army to 'becDiiie thbroughly': dissatisfied with the,: of recruiting.'ln consequence, )'io proposed,the institutionnf -universal service. Before becoming Prime Minister Senor Canftlejag served ns Minister of. Einnrice and Minister of Justice in former Lib«r,al Gpternmontsi and made a cQnsidwabfe tiiarfc'inlSfld as fresident of the Chamber under Senor Moret, and later under: Marshal Lotion ])6minff!ie?. ' It was an open, secret that ■ho"-inspired the pronounced, anti-cfojeiir policv adopted;by Marshal Lopez in WQS. which caused the temporary ruin of the Liberal. party. , ....... ..