The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-12-01
]. F. DURAO ON THE KING
AND POLITICS OF PORTUGAL

Editor Advertiser: King Carlos /.
of Portugal having been lately the
subject of the most sensational articles
in the press of the United states,
beg to quote the following from a
Portuguese newspaper:
Or Bernardino Machado, who is
undoubtedly a mar of great prestige
and recognized leader of the Republic
can party in Portugal, in a newspaper
interview, said that King Carlos is in
his opinion man of great intelligence,
always respecting the Constitution,
and having at heart the prosperity of
his country. He said also that from
political and moral point of view
nothing could be said against him per-
sonally.'
The newspaper from which 1 copy
| the above makes the following COM
ment: Republicans and monarchists,
according to their respective point of
view, must all put aside personalities,
employing their efforts towards the
realization of the system of govern
ment they think right. 1t is a duty
of conscience to do justice to personal
character" etc.
AS far as I am concerned, have
completed my education in the United
! States schools in the East, and / was
| in my own country republican, that
| is to say before my naturalization
| which dates back more than sixteen
years. Sincerely attached to the coun-
try of my adoption and to its demo-
cratic principles, exactly because L am
republican, L. believe that justice
must be synonymous with republican
ism.
The sensational articles in some
American newspapers, to say the least,
are not correct. The idea Of repre-
senting King Carlos as resembling the
Roman Emperor Vitelius is ridiculous
when everybody knows that his alb
normal corpulence is due simply to the
hereditary disease which kills most of
the members of the house of Bragan MA.
Here l beg to present some facts
which though not new, will be interest
ing and throw a little light on some
incidents that have occurred recently
in Portugal, and that we think are
historically logical. Besides the ideas we
see expressed about that country Of
this side of the world show singular
want of knowledge of the general his
tory of Europe.
Without pretending to write a theme
on history, let us remember that the
struggle of spain and Portugal for
centuries against the Moors saved
northern Europe from an Arabic in
vasion The constant wars for long
time against the common enemy pre-
vented largely the establishment of the
feudal system in the peninsula as it
was established in most of the coun-
tries of Europe.
Previous to that, the Roman con-
quest and subsequent colonization of
our country made it thoroughly Latin
in customs, language and laws, and
the invasion of numberless Goths and
other barbarians did not supersede the
Roman influence which has lasted to
the present day. The municipalities
CDomus Municipalis is still carved on
some ruined buildings} organized by
the Romans show that even in those
distant times the people had some
thing to say.
The patriotic and religious war
against the Arabs, until their complete
expulsion, created constant ties of
comradeship between the people and
the barons. and when nine centuries
ago the first Cortes met, they all could
already say Nos hberi sumus," etc.
I'VE are free men and as such elect
you as our first king"
The discoveries, conquests and set
Elements in Africa Asia and Oceania
are without doubt one of the most
brilliant pages of ancient or modern
history The results we're most fecund.
From this point of view. Portugal was
one of the most important factors in
impelling the march of events that
have eliminated in the present work.
The enthusiasm of the entire nation
in these adventurous expeditions by
sea brought forward men of all classes
without distinctions and also created
that feeling of fraternity common
among seafaring people Men of in
domitable courage were needed. They
did not ask them where they were
coming from. The bravest were the
first and one of these was the man
who lost his life and the, lives of all
the sailors of his entire feet in at
tempting to double Caps of Good Hope.
He was until then a simple pilot of the
poorer classes.
This last social sphere of action
of the nation u aa precedent facts gave
= II