The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-02
Kings Embarrassment.

i hereditary in society women serving on pay rolls. but nowhere else.
 Kings Embarrassment.
 The royal family was reduced to such straits that the King, after mortgagng the family fortune, appealed for advances from the treasury. The debt of the royal family to the government was s7o0 o0o when Franco came into power IS months ago, and this question of advances of which there was no purpose in the budget but political issue
 1 The premier at the outset resolved on programme of reform, but the radical measures to which he was driven devel- oped gradually an opposition which frus- trated his plans.
 The old parties holding the majority Tn the parliament filibustered for several months until the premier in desperation threw up his hands and dissolved the parliament with the intention of himself resigning. The King, however, although previously personally hostile to Franco 1 was impressed with his ability and sim 1 cerity and refused to allow him to go. | On the contrary, under clause of the l constitution which virtually suspended the legislative branch of the government l he granted Franco the power to govern | by decree. As dictator Franco stopped the graft right and left and did not hes- itate to liquidate the royal decree and he increased the civil list $16O.O0O on the ground that royal dignity demanded that it should be freed from monetary em- barrassment. He also increased the sal aries of the poorly paid government em- l ployes and the officers of the army, yet l the net result of this adjustment is said | to have been a reduction in the deficit of s4O0, ,000 The leaders of the old par ties who included members of the oldest Portuguese nobility, naturally were fu- | rious at the premiers course. They started newspaper agitation and pro- 1 voked the so-called anti-Franco demon strations, but apparently they made lit
 tie relief.
 Only the republicans seemed to be the gathers and they not to any great eX- tent.
 The leaders Machado and Castro, bore witness to the justice of the premier's charge against the old parties but they claimed that this only proved the im- l possibility of continuing a regime and they also declared that Franco's profess l sion of civic virtue was travesty. They
 secured important accessions to their party, notably Senor Cunba, who recent l ly announced that he could not longer | support absolutism and would become a
 republican,, but outside of Lisbon and Oporto, where republicans have consid- erable strength persons familiar with the ! situation say there is little republican sentiment.
 The people are monarchists and loyal to the Breganza dynasty, which de-
 livered the country from the Spanish yoke. The impartial opinion IS that It Is still seed time as far as republican, ism is concerned and that the harvest unless the unexpected happens, IS Tar | off.
 Old Parties Fight.
 The old parties. with their backs to 1 the wall. are fighting with redoubled energy, and shifting their attacks on the King, on the ground that he is ex- ! ceeding his constitutional rights, but | Franco. with his hands frightened on the reins, while permitting free crit | icism of himself. has forbidden general criticism of the government, sup pressed newspapers violating his m | function, and when the recent poiho fiasco occurred he instituted summary tribunal to try anarchists and o:enders against public security. He prohibited also speeches designed to inflame the 1 populace.
 l Merchants of the regeneration party have planned a demonstration Tor to- morrow at Oporto, where Senor Vil- hena has been elected leader to sue ceed the late Senor Ribero. but the prmier has forbidden political speeches.
 The strength of Franco's position lies in the fact that his enemies can
 not accuse him of having interested motives. He is wealthy and has an nounced that whenshis task is finished | he intends to retire in order to com I plete his private work. However. it is ! essential that the election Tor which l tho opposition is clamoring under | government majority is assured as the l first act Parliament will pass upon | the acts of dictatorship and unless | legalized. all the work thus far ac- | compiished will be undone. It is un- l derstood that Premier Franco is now l confident that a government majority | is in sight and he expects to bA able ] ts bold the election in March.