Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08
THE DICTATORSHIP IN PORTUGAL

! tence. Was Portugal destined to return
to the outside ministries?
Then 1t was that Senior Franco reap
peared upon the scene. From 19Oo-19O5 he
had retired from political life his adver-
| saries having prevented his election by
recourse to their electoral machines"
He had carried on an energetic campaign
in favor of liberal ideas. He had con-
demned the practices of the "rotatifs'
and denounced political corruption. He
posed as purifier
Franco was known to be thoroughly
honest in his private life. The years
passed out of office lent him the air of
new man, and he was accredited with be-
ing progressive The republicans did not
oppose him, and the progressists. by an
understanding with their chief. Jose Luci-
ano de Castro. prepared to sustain him.
How" asks lie Temps. did Franco
come to declare the dictatorship? He
alone will tell u.s. lie Temps. anxious, in
the interests of its readers, to find the
key to the Portuguese enigma instructed
its experienced correspondent, NJ. Galtier,
| to proceed to Lisbon and interview II
| necessary, the minister and the king.
1.-The dictatorship is nothing new in Por-
| tugal," said Senior Franco to lie Temps
correspondent. 1.-The parliamentary ma
chine for the last thirty years has worked
badly. Since 1881 all ministries have had
recourse to the PRONUNCIATION of law by
DEGREES: the executive power has always
encroached upon the legisature-the court
of cessation in July last decided that the
greater part of Portuguese legislation had
| been established by. dictation. The die
tatorship then in Portugal is traditional
| fact.
THE minister in 1S96-1s97 belonged to the
regenerator ministry of Hintze Ribeiro.
That situation was the alb
Political normal product of vio-
lated parliamentary sys-
tenn. It was a deplorable
situation against which. in 1899. pro-
tested in the chamber. This country.
said, should not serve as the plaything
of the regenerators and the progressists
MY program in it's general scope main
tanned: Transportation. publication or par
| liamentary habits. a real representative
| regime, and good administration OF
public affairs left the regenerator party
in 1901, and twenty-nine deputies fol-
| lowed me.
I'm order to fight us, the Regeneration
ministry promulgated, in August. 1901. an
electoral law against me. that is. against
| the party. Beaten. I retired.
I'm 1903 the liberal regenerator party
was formed at my instigation. 1t had for
it's object the establishment of the repre-
sentative regime In Portugal. We posed
as a reform party. In 1904 I attempted to
form, with Senior Luciano de Castro.
chief of the progressists, a liberal con-
centration. He refused. In 1906 made
a second attempt that succeeded. 1t was
| the foundation Of what was called the
| liberal concentration
When NJ. Hintze Rfbeiro fell in 1906
the regenerators retired, and Carlos I. un-
| derStanding that it was necessary to fin
ish with 'rotativism,' sent for me.
| THE chamber was dissolved, the cleo
lions were ordered, and the chamber was
recpened September II, and remained
dents followed. There was a question of
advance Of money made to the royal
| family. The events at Coimbre, apropos
Of an examination for a professorship.
served as a pretext for violence. l closed
the chamber. Legally the parliamentary
session is three months; already for six
months it had exercised functions. I was
entirely within my rights.
| April IL 1 said in a speech: 1T was
| necessary to go forward with the paria-
ment or without it. asked de Castro to
give me three ministers. He assented, but
| they refused my offers. 1t was the end
of liberal concentration. I went to the
king to offer my resignation; he refused.
He insisted that other parties had de-
manded the dictatorship. He would give
| it to me. I hesitated Remember said
| the king, the grenadier of Potsdam whom
Frederick the Great surprised at the mo-
|
fight side by side tomorrow, and if we
are conquered, we will desert together
II remained. You see, Lisbon is calm.
Everybody attends to business. Nobody
! is molested. The dictatorship which I
exercise is purely administrative"
my program is simple. I will remain
in power eighteen months or two years.
| I will decree the elections
Frances at my convenience, in a
p year. I will have a ma
Gill; jority. Then will make
an electoral law different from the exist
ing one. and which I will use. I take up
the cards as find them to play my hand.
Finally, when I have installed a parlia-
mentary regime in my country. veri-
table representative system. will retire.
I will finish. in fact, where I wished to
commence"
| M. Galtier had many questions to ask
| the king. How was it possible without
an objectionable breach, to put ques-
tions which might violate the etiquette
of court? Clearly he could not. Carlos 1
perceived the correspondents embarrass-
ment and anticipated him with charming
tact and courtesy. The king said:
You have seen with your own eyes
that calm reigns at Lisbon, as in the
country. Only the politicians are ex-
cited During the last days Of legislation
| the situation had become impossible.
We were going-no one could tell where.
| Then l gave to Senior Franco the means
of governing. In order to accord 1t l
! exacted a guarantee of character. 1
| wanted a will without weakness in Or
der to carry out my ideas. Senior Franco
| has proved himself the man l required.
| We are in full accord. We work to-
| gether He has my entire confidence,
| and contrary to the intentions attributed
| to me- l intend to maintain him. The
country approves the policy of Senior
| Franco We will establish the budget
| equilibrium. and make good the deficit.
| In all countries in order to raise a
revolution it is necessary to have an
army to back it up. Now the Portu-
guese army is devoted to the constitu-
ton and faithful to the king. Loyalty
it will stand for me. The most of my