Canalejas y Méndez, José (1854-1912) was a Spanish politician, born in El Ferrol on July 31, 1854. He graduated in 1871 from the University of Madrid , took his doctor´s degree in 1872 and became a lecturer on literature in 1873. He later studied railway problems, but continued his literary work, publishing a history of Latin literature in two volumens. He was elected deputy for Soria in 1881, became undersecretary for the prime minister´s department under Posada Herrera in 1883, he became minister of justice in 1888 and finance from 1894 to 1895. He was president of the chamber in the Moret administration, and became prime minister and chief of the Liberal party in 1910. He was murdered in Madrid on November 12, 1912, while in office. Canalejas believed in the possibility of a monarchy open to a thoroughgoing democratic policy both in economic and in civil and political matters.