Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-26
Republican Power at Lis
bon May End Monarchy.
Violent Political Struggle Is
Expected IN Near Future.
Expense Attached to Court May Hello
Bring Decided Change. ~

public is to supplant the monarchy in
Portugal. it is practically the unanimous
opinion here that the near future will
witness z violent political struggle in
which the life OF the monarchy may bs
at stake. The comparative tranquility
since the assassinations Is simply
breathing spell in which the forces OF
the monarchy on the one hand and pop
ular government on the other are being
marshalled for the coming conflict. The
masses of the people in the country are
ignorant and have hitherto been entirely
Indifferent to the political battles which
have convulsed the capital. Lisbon for
political purposes is Portugal and the
Republicans are confident that the infiu-
ence of the capital. which they assert is
almost unanimously Republican. will
sound the knell of the monarchy.
Stree the assassinatiops of King Carlos
and Crown Prince Luis. the Republicans
have been Joined by the Dissident Pro-
gressits and they intend to make their
CAMPAIGN for change Of regime openly
in the coming electoral contest. EX-Dep-
uty Almeida, who is at the head of the
Republican organization, declares that
their campaign has virtually been made
for them by the revelation Of the abuses
of the old parties. The exposure of the
political corruption. the manner in which
an army of clients was maintained at the
expense of the public treasury and. above
all. the secret advances made to the roy
al family. he claims. shocked the people
from one end of the country to the other
and destroyed forever the prestige of the
monarchy, They anticipate an easy and
complete victory
Disinterested opinion. however, does mt
consider Portugal ripe for a republic. 1.
believes. in fact, that the country under
a popuar regime in the present backward
state of the masses would become a prey
of the ambitions of politicians and. like
the Central American republics. would be
without stability and probably witness
series OF popular upheavals and dictator
ships. Nevertheless the fear exists in
these quarters that the monarchy is
doomed.
The young King Manuel, undoubtedly
with the best of intentions, has yielded
to the enemies of his father and Franco.
They have persuaded him to sponge out
the dictatorship and to begin as
strictly constitutional sovereign, but
above all to place himself In their hands.
They want him to enact the role of Dom
Luis, the father of Carlos. who for 20
years ruled Portugal but did not govern.
Under the present circumstances the
course of the King is most dangerous
insomuch as he has placed the destinies
of the throne in the hands Of leaders Of
the two dscredited old parties. men
whose past prevents them from meeting
their adversaries In the open field of po-
litical discussion and who the people will
insist must be disciplined.
The real weakness of the monarchy in
Portugal seems to be that IL is top
heavy. With its territory shrunken, its
wealth withered. the people crushed
down by taxes, the national credit bank
rupt Is years ago. the bureaucracy and
the court are maintained on a scale al
most as extensive as in the days Of Port
uguese world dominion. Seven magnif-
cent royal palaces. the Necessidades. tho
royal city residence; Ajuda. the palace
of the dowager Queen: Belem, Quedez
and Cascaes on the seashore and the
marvellous palaces Of Cintra and Pena,
in addition to the shooting palaces of Viii
lavicosa and elsewhere, are kept up with
all the expense involved in the constant
transfer of the large court from one
place to another. The court itself has a
hierarchy and ceremonial etiquette sec
ord only to that of Russia and Austria
and the personnel is considerably larger
than that of Germany. Titles. ranks and
decorations abound and are sought with
passionate rivalry and the number of Of
ficials attached to and supported by the
court is countless
1t is here that the pruning hook must
be applied in the reorganization Of a
country where half the taxes collected
go to pay the interest on state debt
The students a. the universities, as in
Russia and other countries where revo-
luton is being agitated. are playing a
considerable role in Portugal and another
factor in the situation. the church. may
become prominent. Roman Catholicism
is the state religion and the people are
Catholic. but not clerical. No matter
what happens in Portugal. foreign, direct
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