He was one of the organizers of the Liberal Block in 1908 against the Conservative Prime Minister Antonio Maura and of the Republican-Socialist Conjunction in 1909.

In 1912, he founded with Gumersindo de Azcárate and José Ortega y Gasset the Reformist Party and the League for the Spanish Political Education.

Following the murder of Alvarez together with other political prisoners, President Azaña is said to have cried; Indalecio Prieto predicted the fall of the Republican government: "with this brutality we have lost the war.

"[1][2] Among the various efforts and commitments that Melquíades Álvarez developed or launched throughout his life, the creation in Asturias of athenæums and popular libraries can be highlighted, following the spirit and example proposed by different pedagogues to make "education available to workers".

Melquiades has different named streets in Oviedo, Gijón, La Felguera, Madrid, Leganés and Tomelloso.