The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-18

seems to be fully confirmed. Apparently The
revolt is confined largely to the army and the
| populace are taking little part in it. What
the sources of discomfort which has led to the
outbreak are is not very definitely stated in
the dispatches, though a change of
| government from monarchy to repub-
lie is said to be the end sought
for The revolution is a great sur
| prise, for there had been no premonitory
| symptoms to indicate its coming. Beyond a
| little discomfort in Para at export duties on
rubber, which apparently has had nothing 10
| do with this revolt, there was no known dis
quiet. A year ago the Liberation of the slaves
caused some dissatisfaction on the part of
the coffee planters, they fearing that the
freedmen would not help gather the crop,
but their fears proved groundless, and that
cloud was dspeled
The reign of the present Emperor. Dom
Pedro III, began in 1S41, when he attained his
majority. During the ten previous years the
country had been governed by regency.
Dom Pedro's reign has been characterized by
extreme llberality. In very few monarchcal
countries have the people had SO much voice
In the government as in Brazil since the
present King assembled the throne. Suffrage
is not universal, but perhaps as near an an
Proclamation to it has been made as is safe in
country where the per cent of illiteracy is
still yeiy great. Dom Pedro's chief reforms
are the abolition of the slave trade, which
was accomplished early in his reign,
ana the abolition of slavery, which was con-
summated about a year ago, but in every di-
rection his reign has been benefcent and in
the interest of the people. With the excep-
tion of two foreign wars, one with the Ar
gentine Republic, which was brief, and the
other with Uruguay. which lasted five or six
years, Dom Pedro's reign has been peaceful.
OF internal outbreaks there have been, up to
the time OF the appearance of the present
revolution, none of a serious character. The
finances of the country have not been, and
are not now, in very good shape. Frequent
resort to paper money has been necessary,
| with consequent depreciation of the cur
/ rency, involving of course heavy losses, es-
| pecially to the poorer classes. Here, posi-
bly, is source of the present outbreak
Another possible source of discomfort is the
compulsory service in the army, which is rig
idly enforced against those who cannot pay
Communication money. The army is not large,
however, numbering only about 5000 men.
The navy is very fine one, and the
dispatches seem to indicate that that branch
of the service remains loyal to the King.
A long internecine strife in Brazil would DO
very seriously felt here, inasmuch as we
depend upon that country for large part of
our coffee supply, and fol about all our rub
Der. Beyond these two articles, however, Bra
I'll furnishes us nothing of any consequence.
Very likely 1t will turn out that the present
outbreak Is not serious affair, and that it
argues no wide spread or serious discomfort.
The fact that it is confined at present to Rio
Janero and is not joined in generally by the
people, would seem to indicate that it is
| destined to be shortlived.