Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-02-07

The King and his ministers practically
have lived in state of cAsAe.
In all these years of warfare, the King
stood almost alone. He was a good
King, as Kings go. His home life was
generous, liberal-minded, an enemy OF po-
litical corruption. accomplished, good
tempered and fond of manly sports.
Carlos was born in Lisbon, September
81 1863. He was married to Amelle,
Princess of Orleans-Bourbon, daughter
of the Compile of Paris, May %, 1886.
He assembled the throne OcstOber 10,
1880.
At the outset he was confronted not
only with a financial crisis, but with
half a score Of political intrigues. He
met the financial crisis by surrendering
one-ffth of the royal revenues to the
people to tighten taxation.
First among his enemies was the pre-,
tender to his throne Dom Miguel, son OF
King Miguel. Il former King of Portugal.
The aristrOcracy was against hlng
Carlos. Their natural tendencies leaned
toward Dom Miguel.
People Laud Attempt to Kill.
In 1898 the first attempt to assassinatc
Carlos was made. He was shot at by a
Socialist while driving. The attempt
failed. The first open declaration of war
by the people came over his reputed eN-
trayangance and that of his Queen.
There was plenty of evidence to back
this popular indictment. The Queen
mother had no knowledge Of the value Ct
money and is on record as having squan-
dered more on dress at Paris than all
the other Queens and Expresses of Eu-
rope put together.
The leader Of the Republican party
called on the premier, as an honorable
iCt hot "a Il n oh
mortgage his private property to pay his
debts to the national treasury.
King Carlos then sought to conciliate
the people by the inauguration of liberia
reforms and the establishment of a moro
democratic form of government These
reforms, however, only delayed the end
In 1901 King Carlos faced the frs.
desperate crisis of his reign-his struggle
with the aristocracy and the clergy, who
sought to displace him and seat Dom
Miguel on the throne.
The provincial aristocracy sided witt
Dom Miguel almost to a man.
Help from England.
The Kings first move in his struggle
was a startling one. He went to Eng
land and while there got from the Brit
iSh government the assurance that the
terms of the alliance between Great
Britain and Portugal provided not only
from foreign attack but likewise for the
safeguarding OF the dynasty from any
attempt to overthrow by means of inter
nal revolution. This had the effect of
altering altogether the position of Car
los. For he was able to dispense with
the costly support of the religious orders
and clergy without being doomed to lose
his throne.
He had not been back in his capital
for more than two days before popular
disturbance occurred in Lisbon owing
to one of the religious orders having
abducted a girl. The inhabitants of
Lisbon sided with the clergy, and went
of a convent.
King Carlos was indignant. On his
own authority he dismissed the chief of
police and took the reins of government
in his own hands. In fact, he threw
down the gauntlet to the clergy. His
was with him. The royal family was di
vided but King Carlos saved his thron..
Men Higher Up Conspire.
In 1903 King Carlos faced a wide
spread mutiny in the army and deep
seated conspiracy against his life. At
the head OF the army conspiracy was
Col. Elias Garcia, one of the Republican
chiefs. Carlos although fearing to ex-
cite popular wrath by arresting Gen.
other directions. He ordered wholesale
arrests, court martials and deportation of
entire sbiplOadS of officers and soldiers
to the most pestilential of the Portuguese
penal colonies on the west and east coast
of Africa.
The years 1905 and 1906 were filled
with struggles between King Carlos and
his Parliament. Ministry after ministry
rose and fell. The people were sinking
deeper and deeper into poverty, the poll
ticians were growing more rapacious, and
corrouption and thievery in public life
became holder.
Greatest Crisis in 1907.
Finally, in 1907 King Carlos called on
the conservative leader, Franco, to form
a ministry, and gave him a free hand III
nutting an end to the frightful corrup-
tion which had been the bane of every
government at Lisbon.
But the masses of the Portuguese peo-
pie were against the King and Premier
Franco. Their hatred eliminated June
and several killed. Hundreds were ar
rested. The principal cafe in Lisbon was
destroyed. On the next day there was
public mourning for the dead. All news
papers appeared in deep black borders.
The army remained loyal in spite of its
dissatisfaction, and with it at his back
he was able to keep Premier Franco in
power during the tempestuous months
of 1907 But the opposition TO Franco
was steadily growing, and eliminated in
a demand from Parliament for his re-
moval The answer was the Punishment
by his father Of Grown Prince Louis to
Villa Vicoso, a royal residence in re-
mote part of the kingdom.
1t is an open secret that politics in
Portugal is a mere trade, and the fnan
cial abuses which exist are a crying
shame to constitutional authority.