▁oppon ent ▁of ▁Mag li ani ' s ▁loose ▁financial ▁administration . ▁Selected ▁as ▁minister ▁of ▁public ▁works ▁by ▁De pret is ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 7 , ▁and ▁by ▁Cris pi ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 , ▁he ▁worked ▁to ▁mit ig ate ▁the ▁worst ▁consequences ▁of ▁De pret is ' s ▁cor rupt ly ▁extra v ag ant ▁policy , ▁and ▁introduced ▁a ▁sound er ▁system ▁of ▁government ▁participation ▁in ▁public ▁works . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁sen ate , ▁and ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁he ▁succeeded ▁in ▁forming ▁a ▁Cab inet ▁of ▁pac ification ▁after ▁the ▁Ob st ruction ist ▁crisis ▁which ▁had ▁caused ▁the ▁down fall ▁of ▁General ▁P ell oux . ▁His ▁term ▁of ▁office ▁was ▁cloud ed ▁by ▁the ▁assass ination ▁of ▁King ▁Um berto ▁( 2 9 ▁July ▁ 1 9 0 0 ), ▁and ▁his ▁administration ▁was ▁brought ▁to ▁an ▁end ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁by ▁a ▁vote ▁of ▁the ▁chamber ▁condem ning ▁his ▁weak ▁attitude ▁towards ▁a ▁general ▁dock ▁strike ▁at ▁Gen oa . ▁ ▁After ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 1 ▁Sar acco ▁res umed ▁his ▁functions ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁sen ate , ▁but ▁on ▁the ▁advent ▁of ▁the ▁third ▁Gi ol itt i ▁cabinet , ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁re app oint ed ▁to ▁that ▁position . ▁ ▁Sar acco ▁received ▁the ▁supre me ▁honour ▁of ▁the ▁kn ighth ood ▁of ▁the ▁Ann un