New-York tribune., 1907-08-14
DESPOT A REF0RMER.
King Carlos SaUes Millions of Dol
lars for His People.

,-.r1os has the situation well in hand in
al and the danger of his being dethroned'
eicb WAS so very acute some weeks ago. Is now
: -, md The prospects OF a iegftiInlst restora-
a. o. :. fs,,ar of the Pretender, Dom Miguel, are
',s.i,a.ea largely owing to the unsavory reputa-
~ - she Pretenders sons. one OF whom is
up , ,rfcas; while the republican movement,
So, had q chance of making a showing when
- and his Premier dispensed with parlia-
'H . n5 with constitutional methods of govern
IL. r. inaugurating the present dictatorship. has
no,s+rsted the fact that 1t is more prone to
o,o1uence than 10 action
- Kine Charles has violated the spirit, if not
-, isttar Of the constitution. by inaugurating the
-. -, regime with his able Premier. Franco it
t.cause ii had become a matter of national
az. and death rescue the nation from the
.s in which il had been plunged by machine
,.+,s The two chief political parties which had
fo.ea in Office regarded such office merely
,cs Of personal profit. ignored and Inundated
q. king and by an understanding with one an
=, rer7,errla5ed era of corruption OF the most
,,,ncaiz-s bic character Thus politician held
= o;ent wears. through successive administrations,
-. ~ most Of Portuguese Minister at Picking, and
=, :, salary and allowances $4,000 year a such
80. ever having visited China. besides receiving
,5a ,.a a wear more from other sinecures at home
- i only one of hundreds of similar cases.
-. r-as no chance of any reform long as
L-+u-o nslitical parties succeeded one another in
- So King Charles quarrel1ed with them both.
Is;r,ed a friend of his Premier. and
-, as was 10 be expected. parliament declined
- z,,nnort him. he dissolved the legislature.
-ba-eupon King and Premier set to work to clean
,rsA Already the abolition Of sinecures and
.hpses has effected annual economy of more
-bsr s1o0aaaa and the reform work is only in its
.o,.i,a since more abuses are being discovered
-, aar and done away with. such as, for in
-once treasury subventions TO Tnonasteries and
@1-ssnrs which have long ceased to exist fat pen
s,,. 70 statesmen and officials who have long
100 been gathered 30 their fathers grants TO
blio undertakings which have never got beyond
-ss stage Of design. etc The economies al
..av erected have enabled the King and his Pre-
-sr 70 settle the Of pay Of the troops and
"a rive 10 them as well 10 the officers a sorely
ass5 increase Of stipend. This has had the result
- rendering the army devoted TO the present ad-
--i,srrsrion and 10 the Crown. and the masses are
y-ssusllv becoming alive the fact that the sub
e-i,rrion Of honesty for colossal fraud and cor
-urrion viii render possible the eventual reduction
NJ rhsr taxation which weighs very heavily on
the shoulders Of the people
sbsolutisrn has sometimes advantages over leg
lslative forms government in spite of ali repub-
fcsn theories about the matter. In Austria and
Hungary il is being employed by the Emperor in
fsror of khe grant universal suffrage against the
ol;Esrchies that have until rnonopoiized the
franchise In Portugal it is being used TO abolish
s,ftution Of an honest government for dishonest
one and IN ti7e restoration of the prosperity and
c-soit OF z sadly tried nation There is much food
for reflection IN this in countries that pride them
selves On their popular forms Of government