The Washington herald., 1908-02-09


eials intrusted with the collection OF i'm
posts were no longer allowed 10 squander
70 per cent OF their gross receipts in the
alleged expenses Of collection. the daugh-
ters of former cabinet ministers and high
dign;taries at court were deprived OF
the salaries Of S2e0o 4 year. which each
received as baggage searchers in the Gus
tom house. which they had never deigned
20 enter. while IN another instance,
high government official was refused per-
mission 10 draw any longer the salary Of
his father. who had also been a well PAID
servant OF the crown, but who had been
dead for fifteen years.
Franco likewise removed from the pay
list Of the department of foreign affairs
the name of a statesman who had. on
several occasions. held cabinet Office at
Lisbon. but vino. for near q score OF
years. had been drawing the liberal sti-
pend and handsome allowances of P0F-
tuguese minister plenipolentiary at Pc
Kim without ever having set foot IN China,
or having left Portugal further than 70
visit Paris, or some thermal resort In
Germany or Austria.
saves s15,OOO.O0O.
Thanks 10 these sweeping reforms.
which. Of course. won him many enemies.
and excited the utmost indignation against
him among those whose peculations he
had arrested, Franco had been able to
effect economies in the budget to the ex
tent Of some sI5.000.0o0 lie admitted that
there was still much to be done in the
way of reform. declared that not a day
passed without his discovery Of some
hitherto unsuspected abuse. or nest Of
corruption, and that he expected before
he had completed his task. to add many
millions more to the national reveHus
without increasing by one iota the texa-
tion which he hoped. indeed. TO be able
to diminish The King lost no opportunity
to publicly demonstrate his complete con-
fidence in Franco. and his warm approval
of every move he made. and to show his
good will. consented to still further re-
ductiou of the expenses Of the royal
family and Of the court, abandoning TO
the state several parcels Of real estate
at Lisbon, and also his fne steam yacht,
the Amelie.
King and Premier Satisfied.
So satifed were King and premier
with the showing made, that they had
actually issued the summons for a gen
eral election. 70 take place in the hrst
week OF April Convinced that when the
people realized what the minister had
accomplished. il would receive a large
majority at the polls. So assured. indeed,
were the King and his premier Of victory.
so satisfied were they with the outlook.
that Dom Carlos had arranged 20 sail
In May for Rio. where he was 10 have
been received as the guest Of the Bra
lillian nation. with magnificent hOnOrs. on
the Tooth anniversary Of the day on which
his ancestor, King John. opened the ports
Of Brazil TO the commerce OF the world.
That il how matters stood when the
monarch was laid low by the bullets Of
/ bis 8ssassins.
And now in the place Of Franco there
has come into Office an administration
composed Of the leaders Of the Conserva-
tive and the Liberal machine. that is 10
say. the very authors Of the abuses
which King Carlos and Franco fought so
bTavely 10 reform. and the portfolio Of
minister Of justice has actually been in
trusted 20 the very statesman, Of all 9TH
ers, whom I mentioned above as having
I va 10 ANt twenty tfeA+E AaAf EtAs fAtt~'
emoluments Of Portuguese envoy at
Pekin without ever having left Europe.
Election Promised Much.
Were Il not for the tragedy of a week
ago. had Franco remained az the head
Of the government. and had the general
election taken place as arranged, the
month after next. the constitutional crisis
would have been brought TO a satisfac-
/ tory close. The new parliament might
/ have been relied upon 90 give its legis-
/ lative approval 10 an that Franco had
accomplished in the way Of the reform
OF abuses. and toward the regeneration
OF Portugal In fact. everything would
I have been plain sailing. with the prospect
Z OF the revival Of prosperity AZ homie, Of
credit abroad. and Of the inauguration OF
I a new era generally.
As it il now. with the new ministers
/ in power. and Franco gone. il means
/ the undoing Of ali his work and OF that
| of the late King II means the
revival Of all the abuses. the admin
| istrative dishonesty. and the political cor
ruptiOn. In fact, the condition Of affairs
as it stands now bids fair to prove 3
/ sOTTy tribute 10 the memory Of gallant
/ honest. and kindly Dom. Carlos. King
/ Manuel, who Is Il little over eighteen years
/ Of age. and has therefore attained his
majority, and his mother. Queen Marie
Amelie, after the first shock Of their
grief is over may possibly be brought
I to realize this. particularly when they
+ begin 10 see the effect OF the dismissal
of Franco and the appointment Of tfI5
new cabinet on Portuguese government
/ bonds held abroad.
Repairs Are Difficult.
! But It will be difficult for either OF
/ them 10 repair the mistake which they
l have made, and by means Of which they
have inaugurated the new reign. Fol
/ neither Of them has the political expe-
/ .ience and assurance Of the late King
Who during his eighteen years on tbs
/ throne had acquired rare knowledge OF
/ the men and conditions Of Portugal
! Moreover. II the Queen and the young
/ King were 10 attempt 10 make anS
( change. and 70 recall Franco there might
/ be coup d'etat, depTiving them OF theiI
1 throne perhaps even involving their as
! sassination.
7 For the real authors of the outTagc
| WVYRw