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

entS from lLlSDo by way Oh lle irol-
tier"-that is, those who
Unconfrmed have eluded the censor
r-.,h, ship Of the press-is
either in the throes Of
revolution or else is being made the play
thing of the revolutionists at Lisbon who
seek the overthrow of government. The
consul of Portugal at Chicago. Count San
ii Eulelia. interviewed with reference to
the recently reported troubles, promptly
| denied them and declared that they were
unfounded and emanated from trouble
makers. And this, indeed would seem to
be the case, for the reported troubles have
not been confirmed.
That the political situation in Portugal
is peculiar cannot be denied. On the 18th
Of May. the cable announced "a political
crisis at Lisbon: the publication by tho
president of the council of ministers Senior
Franco. of his first dictatorial decree:
that It was violation Of the constitution:
that the dictatorship was an accomplished
fact"
After six months struggle with a cortes
welded to the time-honored system Of
"rotativist" ministries Senior Franco was
authorized bv the king last May to es-
fab1sh government una Ssisted bv par
lament Frances policy. Endorsed by the
sovereign. is to introduce order into the
finances. promote a better educational
system. raise the salaries Of underna'd
employees. and improve the status of Of
ficers in the army.
The dictatorship. It appears. was not
therefore the hastv act Of kine or minis
ter anxious to govern alone but the re-
suit Of long and violent discussion in both
chambers of the cortes. In the conference
If April IL. after the closing Of the cortes.
Franco declared. 1--WE must go forward
with the parliament. or without It." The
coup Of the minister let loose an avalanche
Of opposition Of all parties-A novn-n mt
which threatened revolt The streets
however. remained quiet. and only the
chiefs Of the onoosition parties "manifest-
ed' on the occasion Of hanuuet given the
minister at Oporto by his admirers
Formerly diplomats drew pay for func-
lions they never exercised: salaries were
paid in the names Of func-
Gross tionaries even after their
rs decease! The state paid
subsidies as flowers are
strewn upon a tomb and these marks of
solicitude were not without profit for GER
| tain officials.
It appears that Senior Franco has al
ready suppressed salaries for which no
service was rendered amounting to thirty
| million francs: he has issued decree
against compounding salaries: he has in
| structed governors to enforce the laws
| Introducing gambling. which demoralizes
| the nation; he has elaborated pension
| for invalid workmen.
| This minister and king therefore have
| been doing things. however horrible they
may appear as dictators. which some re-
DuhlicS have not vet ACCOMPLISHED and
with this knowledge the Temps warns it's
readers not to be frightened at the word.
| Senior Bernardino Machado, formerly
| monarchist and minister, but now chief
| of the republican party, declares that
ment of the two parties. the "reeen-
| orators" and the "progressfsts." And yet
1t is reported that the commercial and
Industrial world heartily approves the
dictatorship, in which it seems eco
nomical reform and peace are the chief
| objects.
| Senior Machado prophesies that the re-
| public will come in 1909 or 1910. But If
| the dictatorship under Franco should re-
suit in the accomplishment of the pro-
| jected reforms. why the change, may it
| not he asked? 1t is assumed that the
| Portuguese, will welcome the reforms ac-
| complished with the same grace and
| gratitude whatever the name Of the gov
eminent which accords them.
| 1t is instructive to recall just here that
| constitutional monarchy in Portugal
dates from 1894. and that it succeeded
absolutism. From 1884 to 1852 the coun-
| try was prey to a period of commissions
| and strifes Of parties. This was followed
by a period of sanity. of political con-
science, which was maintained from 1852
| to 1885. The actors in the scenes of that
| interval allude to it as the English
period Then the two great parties were
created which have succeeded each other
| in power-the "regenerators" and the
| "progressists."
| The first would ''regenerate'' the coun-
| try by large economical and industrial
development. The second
Rival holds more to the mainte-
n4. nance of political char
acter. In the commence
ment it called itself the Historical
party" One of it's more advanced groups
founded the progressist party. which abb
sorbed the Historical party"
Thus Portugal appeared happy in hav-
ing acquired the English system Of two
parties-charged as the vicissitudes of
parliament directed in turn with the af-
fairs of the country. In England the
wings and tories formed teams" which
were admirably trained as to their plans
and actions.
From 1852 to 1855 the regeneralOr
party, which remained almost contin-
ually in power. governed literally, and
accomplished some important work under
the leadership of Gen. Fontes. whom Pc
dro V called Familiarity king Fontes.'
From 1885 to 1880 the "progressist
party was in authority, and fell because
of the English ultmatum. The Anglo
Portuguese difference created revolu-
tionary tempest. During twenty-seven
days the king sought to compose cab
6na To q n
| "extrapartidario'' ministry, or composed
of outside parties. TO this first extrapar-
tidario ministry succeeded a second. In
1893 the regenerators returned under the
presidency of Senior Hntze Ribeiro, with
Senior Joas Franco as minister of the in
terror. The ministry having adopted a
liberal program, Bernardino Machado and
F'uschini resigned. From 1894 to 1897 the
regenerators being In power. the Dictator
ship practically reigned in Portugal.
The period which followed, marked al
ternately by regenerator and progressist
administrations, leads uD to present
events. 1t Is the triumph Of what Senior
Franco calls the system 'rotatif," the ia
nous English system as adapted to Por-
tugal. 1t is not, says M. Galtier. parties
| which have principles, but their clients or
partisans.
Little by little the people who work and
think outside of these organized clients
| or politicians have come to regard this
sort of politics with disgust. The progress
lists in the tobacco affair." lost the conf
dence Of the country. The regenerators,
who succeeded, showed their incompe-