Denial of a newspaper report indicating that Kuyper would be charged with the formation of the new cabinet. On February 9, 1907, the First Chamber voted down the minister of war’s budget, after which the De Meester cabinet (1905–1908) tendered its resignation to the queen. After a lengthy period of debate, the queen decided to maintain the cabinet in office. During this crisis an article was published in the press suggesting that Kuyper would be charged with the formation of a new cabinet. Challenged by De Standaard, the Zeeuwsche Courant reported in its April 4 issue that it had had indirect contact with a knowledgeable source. Kuyper subsequently sent the paper a short but sharp denial: “Not a word of it was true.”

The issue of the Zeeuwsche Courant in question could not be tracked down. The paper was probably published by a regional advertiser, Boluijt & Co. in Goes (cf. De Zeeuw, no. 160, April 9, 1907). The letter to the editor was also included in De Standaard, no. 10753, April 8, 1907, together with the piece in question from the Zeeuwsche Courant.