The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-02
MAY Be CIVIL WAR
Quiet in Portugal Is Only Lull
Before the Storm.
Declaration of a Republic Ex-
pected at Any Time.
KING Is HANDICAPPED
KING is HANDICAPPED
Finds Himself Unable to Get
Away From Precedents.
Half the Taxes Go to Pay In
terest on State Debt.

Lisbon, March 2.-The present COM
paratively quiet times since the muir
der of King Carlos and Prince Luiz is
only q lull before the storm. The mys-
terry surrounding the murder of the
king and crown prince Is not likely
ever to be completely cleared. For
the present it is much preferred by the
Portuguese government that the as
sassination should be considered the
work of excited individuals rather than
q general plot 1t is now known DELL
nitely that a republic was to have been
declared the night of the murder ana
that the masses and many educated
enthusiasts are anxious to declare
republic now. The young king and his
mother have changed radically the
policy of the late King Carlos and 1t
1 has been hoped this change would
appease the people so that they woulo
be satisfied to let the throne remain.
The students at the universities, as
in Russia and other countries Where
revolution is being agitated, are play
ing a considerable role in Portugal
and another factor in the situation,
the church. may become prominent
Roman Catholicism is the state reli-
eion and the people are Catholics. but
not clerical
One act of repression will entail
another. The cry will be raised that
reaction has come and an explosion
will be inevitable. In this event the
throne may be compelled to establish
q second dictatorship. The real weak
ness of the monarchy in Portugal
seems to be that it is top heavy.
With its territory shrunken. Its
wealth withered, the people crushed
Nv m national
bankrupt 10 years ago. the bureaus
cracy and the courts are maintained
on scale almost as extensive as IN
the days of Portuguese world domln>
ion and splendor.
Seven magnificent royal palaces the
Necessidades, the royal city residence
Ajuda, the palace of the doWager
queen, Belem, Quedez and Cascades on
the seashore, and the marvellous pal
aces of Cintra and Pena, in addition to
the shooting places at Villavicosa and
elsewhere, are kept up with all the ex-
pense involved in the constant trans
fers of the large court from one place
to another.
The court itself has a hierarchy and
a ceremonial etiquette second only to
that of 4Russia and Austria, and the
personnel is considerably larger than
that OF Germany. 1t is here that the
pruning hook must be applied in the
Reorganization of country where half
the taxes collected go to pay the in
terest on the state debt.
This oppression has bred anarchy
and revolt and today the young king
and his mother, who are anxious to
serve the people and want to do right,
must suffer for the wrongdoing Of
others. 1t is thought a republic may
be declared in the near future and a
civil war ensue.
No matter what happens in Portu-
gal, foreign Intervention to sustain the
monarchy is not anticipated. Both
Spain, its neighbor, and Great Britain,
which practically dominates the for
eign policies of Portugal. would I'M
doubtedly like to see the regime sus-
tanned. as would probably other pow
ers whose subjects have business In
terests in the country, but Great Brit
ain, it is believed, would not attempt
to interfere in the internal politics of
the country.
She will probably continue to keep
ships at Lagos or at Lisbon to pro-
tect her subjects and the Portuguese
government probably will be given to
understand that Il can count upon
Great Britain's moral support as
long as it keeps within certain bounds
and Great Britain can be relied upon
to prevent the intervention of another
power.
If anything should happen to tina
young king the crown would fall prob
ably on one of King Carlos brothers
either the Duke of Braganza or the
Duke of Oporto. Still, it can not be
overlooked that in the mysterious dis
sensation of human events the hopes