Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-09
HOPES PITCHED HIGH
Republican Leaders in Portu-
gal Extremely EIated.
PREDICT REPUBLIC SOON
Organization in Every Town and
Village.
ALLEGIANCE Is SPREADING
Lisbon Still an Armed Camp.
Financial Situation
Alarming.
Is SPREADING

LISBON, February Z, via Badajos. Spain
February S.-The republican leaders In
Portugal are today in extremely high
spirits. They assert confidently that a
republic is now a matter of months, not
OF years. The Associated Press today
secured an opinion on the situation and
an outline of the republicans pan of
campaign from perhaps the most COM
petent spokesman Of the party. This man
said:
The end of the monarchy is near. 1t
will come as Unexpectedly as did the MUIR
der of the king and crown prince. and
the world will wake UP one morning to
find a republic in Portugal. We are con-
WINGED that the revolution will be a peace
full one. 1t is mistake for foreigners
to imagine that the people of Portugal
are not awake. There Is republican
organization in every town, and doctors.
lawyers and even the village priests are
sending in notices of their adherence
by the score, and there are avowed repub-
ncan offic ers in the army.
king Manuel is a well-intentioned boy.
He starts his regime with fair words ana
the restoration of political liberty, but 1t
Is inevitable that he should iall into the
hands of the manipulators of the two old
parties whose bankruptcy was proclaimed
by King Carlos and P ,emier Franco. The
men about the throne know that the end
Is near, and when the time comes that
they realize that they cannot fight they
win surrender as did Dom Pedro in Brazil
can't think a shot will be fired. King
Carlos knew he was making his last fight.
He had transferred every dollar he had to
England.
Issue in Coming Campaign.
I'VE win make a change of regime an
open issue In the coming campaign. We
will demand that the monarchy which has
dragged down Portugal into the mire of
political and financial bankruptcy abdicate
to the people. They dare not try repres-
sion again; they can only surrender"
While the troops since last Tuesday re-
main in their barracks during the day
time. Lisbon at night still resembles an
armed camp. Cavalry is massed In the
public squares. pickets patrol the streets
and heavily armed soldiers guard the
state bank night and day.
The financial situation is viewed with
great alarm. The country is staggering
under its foreign debt and commerce is
almost paralyzed by the fluctuations OF
the gold premium. Conservative bankers
consider the financial situation to be
more critical than the political
Situation Is Grave.
The outside world in spite of the studied
censorship which defeats IT'S own object.
should not imagine that the throne OF
Portugal is tottering toward revolution
and that republic is imminent. The gen.
eral situation is grave rather than alarm
Ing.
Political conditions. already chaotic be-
fore the murder of the king and crown
prince, became utterly demoralized after
The commission of these crimes. Then
CONSERVATION and national panic preVaileo
among the populace and at court. and the
release of Frances strong hand from the
helm left the ship of state adrift. But
with the new cabinet pledged to consti-
tutional methods and the abolition OF the
dictatorship and existing measures or re-
preston the situation improved
King Manuel openly acknowledged the
regularity OF the money advances TO
the royal family under his fathers reign,
thich were the original causes of the po-
dticaI turmoil and he publicly ordered
he discontinuance of this practice.
e.. - forecast the future. II
r. - hack TO the old rut OF gov
srnmental corruption whence King Car
os 49,. .-r~ml b. franco rescued the mon-
irchy republic might come.
Masses Groaning Under Burdens.
The republicans are the natural inher-
tiers of the mistakes of the monarchy,
but the masses are groaning under their
personal burdens. They are either igno-
tant Of or Indifferent to the political tur-
noiI. Something is necessary to gal
vanized them into action. and this Is ex'
lctIy what the small but evidently desper-
ate organizations of militant revolution
lists ia Lisbon and Oporto are trSlns 20
DO. They want to drive the people to re-
volt
The immediate danger in the situation
.omes from the fact that the police are
baf1ed and the government unapie u
ascertain the extent of the ramifications
,f the conspiracies which nave been sig
nalized during til : last fortnight oy the
discovery at various places OF depots OF
bombs and arms and ammunition.
1t was known that Premier Franco was