Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-26
PORTUGUESE
MONARCHYS
7OTTERING
VIOLENT POLITICAL STRUGGLE
COMING
KINGS COURSE is CONSIDERED
DANGEROUS
Seven Magnificent Royal Palaces Are
Maintained on Nations Depleted
Treasury-HaIf of Taxes GO
to Pay Public Debt
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
LISBON, Feb. 25.-Whether or not a
republic is soon to supplant the mon
archy in Portugal, it is practically the
unanimous opinion here that the near
future will witness violent political
struggle in which the life of the mon
rachy may be at stake.
The comparative tranquility since
the assassinations is simply a breathing
spell in which the forces of the mon
archy on the one hand and of popular
government on the other, are being
marshaled for the fray.
Since the assassination of King
Carlos and Crown Prince Luiz, the re-
publicans have been Joined by the dis
sident progressives and they intend to
make their campaign for change of
regime openly in the coming electoral
contest, The exposure of political cor
ruption, the manner in which an army
of clients was maintained at the ex-
pense of the public treasury and
above all the secret advances made
to the royal family, they claim, have
destroyed forever the prestige of the
monarchy.
Not Ripe for Republic
Disinterested opinion, however, does
not consider Portugal rips for a repub-
lie; 1t believes, in fact, that the coun-
try under a popular 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.
Under the present circumstances, the
course of the young king is most dan
gerous, as he has placed the destiny or
the throne in the hands Of the leaders
of the two discredited old parties. men
whose past prevents them from meet
ing their adversaries in the open field
of political discussion and who, the
people will insist must be disciplined.
The real weakness of the monarchy
in Portugal seems to be that 1t is top
heavy. With it's territory shrunken, its
wealth withered. the people crushed
down by the taxes, the national credit
bankrupt fifteen years ago, the bureau
cracy and the court are maintained on
a scale almost as extensive as in the
days of Portuguese world dominion
an dsplendor.
Seven Palaces Maintained
Seven magnificent royal palaces are
kept. up with all the expense involved
in the constant transfers of the large
court from one place to another. The
court, lISelI Il6TdrCny, HdS d SOiC-
monial etiquette second only to that
of Russia and Austria and the person
mel is certainly larger than that OF
Germany.
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 the state
debt
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 The
people are Catholic, but not clerical
Foreign intervention to sustain the
monarchy is not anticipated, for both
Spain. the neighbor, and Great Britain
which practically dominated the for
eign policies of Portugal, would un-
doubtedly like to see the present regime
sustained as would possibly other pow
ers whose subjects have business in
terests in this country. but Great Bri-
tain it is believed would not attempt
'--@~~o With the int arna policies