sentences:  However, he was unable to curtail spending for the post-First Sino-Japanese War military expansion program he inherited from the Itō administration.During the September 1898 general election, the "Kenseitō" won 260 out of 300 seats contested; however, the party soon collapsed.Members of the former "Jiyūtō" felt that Ōkuma did not distribute the cabinet seats in fair proportion to their party, and joined with Yamagata Aritomo and other conservative elements in the Diet to criticize Minister of Education Ozaki Yukio for a speech which they felt promoted republicanism.