Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-03
DICTATORSHIP RULES.
DRASTIC MEANS IN PORTUGAL TO
SUPPRESS PoPULAcE.
Special Cablegram to The Star.

! 0pectei CBDieBr0W 10 Inc SUIT
LISBON. August 3.-Everywhere the ques-
ton Is being asked as to when the Portu-
guese revolution is going to break out In
full earnest. But that question can only
be answered by turning to general princi-
pies. Portugal today Is being governed by
a military dictatorship led by King Carlos
and his trusted prime minister and friend,
Senior Franco. In the capital Of Lisbon. at
Coimbra, the seat Of the university at Gin
ira, the beautiful summer resort Of the
wealthy, and, In fact. through all. of the
chief centers of population a state of siege
has been declared as the most effective
means of enforcing the rule of the dictator
ship. On paper this looks more serious
than 1t really is-more serious than actual
practice.
1t means that the law which in Portugal
corresponds to the habeas corpus acts in
English-speaking countries has been sus-
pended, and that persons taken In charge
on political grounds may be dealt with by
summary procedure of military court or
shut up out Of harms way without the pre-
tense of a trial at all. The surface indi-
cations of this state of affairs are not. how
ever. very apparent even to the casual on
locker. Certainly there are more military
uniforms to be seen just now in the streets
Of Lisbon than during ordinary times; the
public buildings. the markets and the fire
brigade stations are under guard. and one
meets detachments of armed soldiers and
sailors marching and countermarching
through the streets at odd intervals
the day. But. On the other hand. business
Is going on as usual: the social life in all
Of the cities Is just as gay. as free and a.
careless as It always has been.
about their usual avocations and carry
their wonderfully patched clothes and their
extreme poverty In the manner IN which
they were born. just as though they have
rohay ,ofn hat fl,oy WI
q political earthquake: just as though the
word revolution had never been mentioned
from one end Of the land to the other.
Intriguss Of Politicians.
And no matter whether the revolution. IL
It comes. proves popular or unpopular. the
general impression Is that 1t is due largely
to the intrigues Of active politicians: that
Is. the troubles are caused by members OF
the late cortes who were suddenly relieved
Of their duties a short time ago by sud
den sort of 'prides purge. the result OF
the movements of Senior Franco. Then
these intrigues are undoubtedly being par
ticipated in by a large number of the MEM
bers Of former administrations anxious to
| get back into public life. OF the mass of
| the people about 90 per cent are officially
! returned as uliterates, and. OF course TINS
proportion Is quite outside the pale Of intel
iigent cooperation in politics
When the majority Of the population can
mot read or write. It can easily be seen
that the doctrine of the rule OF the major
ity counts for little or nothing In politics.
Those who possess votes exercise them IN
the main at the dictation OF their employ
ers or as the result of the influence OF the
Clergy and the selling of votes in public Is
thing most common in Portugal. VI the
remaining 40 per cent not more than one
half ever take any active interest IN poll
tics. It remains, therefore. that In Portu-
gal politics are the portion Of the wealthy:
In the lower quarters and among the
peasants one never hears polticat discus
sion going on. In the wine houses the men
take their wine and play cards contentediy:
In the wine houses and the restaurants OF
the wealthy, however, things are entirely
different
Plotting in the Cafes.
At Rocio, for instance. are two fashion,
able cafes-Cafe Suisse and another. Here
from o'clock in the evening until o'clock
the next morning all is excitement of voice
and gesture, anu discussions regarding po-
utical situations are constantly going on.
The average Frenchman is less expressive
than the average Portuguese when engaged
in a friendly argument with an opponent or
when voicing hts pet opinions Here In this
Cafe Suisse. for instance, the actual trou-
bles have been and are being Matched. and
the extraordinary thing about 1t all seems
Ito be that the plots and the intrigues are
shouted out at full strength OF mems voices
for all the world to hear. and yet no ar
npping agitation in the bud.
1t may be taken for granted that the
well-dressed habitues OF the Cafe Suisse
are the real fomentors Of the trouble and
they are divided into so many parties and
factions and fractions of parties that 1t
would be extremely difficult to get together
twenty-five of them who could agree upon
any one particular line of policy
Under these circumstances 1t is of course.
inevitable that the pressure must find relief
somewhere. And the pressure in the main
has found a vent In unobs sacking and loot
ing the various cafes and restaurants. the
Cafe Suisse. the headquarters of the con-
spirators strange as 1t may seem. being
included in the list of restaurants which
have suffered severely. Certain dark hints
are being thrown out as to what may take
place in December next. but no justification
can be found for fixing that period as the
date for the settlement of all things Portu-
guese. Meanwhile the king. who is openly
pronounced traitor and glutton. appears
| to be enjoying life. and one might almost
say appears to be enjoying the revolution.
1t gives him something new to think about
| and detracts from the monotony of things.
FEAT OF HERoISM.