New-York tribune., 1910-10-07
poPTrGJEsE REPUBLIC4NISH,

PORTy TL LSE REPt bLjtAN iHN-
RepUblicanism has for many years
been q considerable factor in Portuguese
politics. and now has as its nominal
adherents q large part Of the people II
that country. It cannot however, he
said TO have much in common with the
practical and successful republicanism
Of America and France. Perhaps that
Is largely because Portugal as a whole
has so little in common with other
countries. The nation as 4 nation has
long been less in touch with the World
at large than almost any other Euro
mean state. while the appalling illiteracy
Of the people-nearly 50 per cent-has
doomed them 10 deplorable intellectual
seclusfcn. The result Of these condi-
rions. or 81 any rate the state which
exists. Is that the republican leaders are
chiefly academic doctrinaires. welded 10
the theories Of Rousseau and the French
Revolution. while their followers are SO
ignorant as TO be willing TO believe the
widest tales-such. as that under
republic there viii be no taxes ana
bread viii be half price, quite AFTER
the manner Of Jack Cade. Inere are,
It Is true. others Of another faction, the
militant republicans, who. however.
are really socialistiC. and who would
rroba bly, agitate against 2 republic as
much as against monarchy
But this doctrinaIre repub-lcanlsn,
possessed Of the fatuous notion that
change Of governmental name would be
an infallible panacea for the country
ills. has taken a strong hold upon the
Imagination Of the people. The pr1ncl-
pal objection 70 It among the educated
minority IS that II would weaken PorJu-
gals status as q nation and would cost
her the respect and support Of other
mowers, and that II would cause loss
OF her colonies, since other powers
would covet them and would no longer
respect her utle 10 them. and. Of course.
& republican government would NOT pro
vide q naval force for their protection.
This objection is chiefly noteworthy as
an indication of the intellectual tsola-
ton Of Portugal 10 which We have re
ferred. The thought seems TO be that as
the French Republic Of 1873 was IN
popular with European monarchles a
Portuguese republic now would be simi-
lariv disliked. ID sublime Indifference 10,
If not ignorance Of, the fact that the
French Republic Of to-day Is abundantly
respected and shows no inclination 10
let its colonies 90 unprotected.
II a stable republic shall now he or
canized in Portugal we shall not expect
10 see the nation lose caste in Europe.
nor TO see her colonies forfeited. On
the contrary. we shall rather expect 10
see her status in all respects confirmed
and improved because Of the improve
meut in administration which viii he
effected. France, being d republic, viii
surely not scorn her, nor VIII Spain.
with her record Of and inClinatlOnS tow
ard rppubiicanism The two nations
which by tradition and by dynastic re
IsrioDship are closest 10 heF-thougn
under 2 republic the latter cOnsidera-
ton viii not count-are England and
Italy, and they, while monarchies IN
form. are So strongly republican In
spirit that the new system IN Portugal,
if ii is successfully established, viii III
crease rather than diminish their sym
p-thetir regard for thar country 1t Is
therefore not upon her foreign relation
ships but upon her domestic fitness that
Portugal must depend for republican
success. If her republican statesmen
prove equal to their task they Will have
nothing to fear from abroad.