New-York tribune., 1908-02-24
DUKE OF OPORTO.
PorfugaPs Heir 4pparent and
Vrfuat Ruler.

Copyright 1905 by the Brentwood Cornpanv1
Portugars heir apparent is Alfonso. Duke or
Oporto, the onIy brother of the late King Owing
the comparative youth of his young nephew,
King Manuel. who has only Just turned eighteen
and was looked upon mere schoolboy until
che tragedy which suddenly brought him to the
throne the other day. the duke must be regarded
as the important in the kingdom. At
the time Of his brothers death it was he who
assumed charge Of everything and he is understood
have been responsible in the main for the re-
ve-sal of the policy OF the Crown The dismissal
of Franco from the premiership and for the call
office OF administration recruited from the
TWO great political parties which Franco and his
royal master, king Carlos had been so bitterly
combating The Duke Of Opo-to's one idea in this
vas TO preserve the throne Tor his young nephew.
u remains TO be seen whether duke Will
he successful The pilgrimages TO the graves
C the assassi4s 0: the late King and Crown
Prince and their continual and abundant
aoornClent with flowers would seem to indi-
cate that there are plenty Of people in Por-
tSSal. and especially in Lisbon who approve
of TIE outrage And they cannot but know that
Inere are at present only princes left of the
toeurg- -Braganza dynasty. namely the eighteen
vear-old King and his untle, Dom Alfonso. Duke
o. oPorto, a bachelor OF forty-three who is as
aVe-se 10 becoming King he is all notions
marriage The Portuguese adversares OF the mon
archy are aware that these two royal lives alone
stand between them and the realization OF their
hopes OF the establishment Of republic at Lisbon
his uncle will become the objects of rlurderous
attacks such the which resulted in the
recent death Of King Carlos and the Crown Prince
The youth and inexperience OF King Manuel con-
stitute no protection claim TO the pity of his
"ould-be assassins- That was shown on the day
of his fathers death. when he himself was
wounded. in the face and in the arm his mother
tie now widowed Queen. escaping an altogether
miraculous manner from being hit by the perfect
han Of bullets that poured upon the royal equipage
Il being the avowed intention Of the assailants to
XII all the occupants Of the carriage. thus wiping
re relgning house out Of existence For the Duke
O. OpoTto, had ne 10. been delayed AT the wharf
"heFe the King had just landed. would have been
Immediately behind his brothers carriage in his
automobile
OF course If King Manuel and the Duke of
oporto were out of the way there would stiu re-
main Dom Miguel the exiIed Duke Of Braganza
and lee1tirlist pretender and his three sons the
duke being the only son and heir Of ex-Kfng
Miguel, who vas IT 1898 driven from the throne
that he had UsJ.rpod- and banished along with his
descendants forever from Portugal. not only on
account OF his unlawful assumption of the crown
but likewise because OF his repeal OF the consti-
tuition and his nnedizvaIly savage despotisrn. The
present Duke Of Braganza is, however, a stranger
10 Portugal was born and bred in Austria.
Austrian. and makes his home in the dominions
cf Emperor Francis Joseph. Moreover. his
mother, now q Beaedictine nun and inmate
Of the great Benedictine convent Of s.. Cecilia,
on the isle Of Wight is not lady OF sovereign
rank, but Of the noble mediatized house Of Low
enstein- Il ertheim. while his elder sons have
conducted themselves in such q fashion to
lead their being deprived Of the commissions
which they held in the Austrian and Saxon ar
mics, the dukes youngest and third son being
only one year old.
L IS possible. TOO that the Of the ex-
Crown Princess Of Brazil. although through their
father they are members Of the House OF Orleans.
might b. right Of their mother and Of their
grandfather. the late Dom Pedro. last Braganza
Emperor Of Brazil. put forward a claim 10 the
throne Of Portugal were i 70 become vacant
through the death OF King Manuel. followed by
that Of his uncle, the Duke Of Oporto. But the
Brazilian ex-CrovR Priacesss sons are. like the
Duke Of Braganza, entire strangers 10 Portugal
where they have no following whatsoever In
fact II is pretty safe 70 that in the event
of King Manuel and Of the Duke Of Oporto being
put out Of the way, for a time at any rate, Por-
1usaI would be subjected 70 the rule Of a re-
public.