The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-10
PORTUGAL IN HARD LUCK,

PORTUGAL IN HARD LUCK,
The revolutiop in Portugal was swift
and apparently easy. The republic was
proclaimed with much enthusiasm, aud
the king is fugitive. So far. so good
But it is extremely doubtful if Portu-
gdl is advanced enough to he pcrma'
ncntly republic Spain tried it and
failed. and Spain is more advanced
than Portugal. We fear that the rcvo-
luton simply means a store of trouble
for Portugal in years TO come. It Is
this kind, sudden, emotional, and with
no deep roots in the character, tcndeu-
cies. or history of tho people, can have
any long or peaceful success. II Is
practically certain that the reaction
will bring back the monarchy and a
time of bloody reprisals.
The people OF Portugal are, in spite
of their being, as one might say, the
face of Europe, a backward people.
They are not distinguished in Iitera-
ture, arts, science, or invention. They
arc naturally conservative, even reac
tionary. They hold to their rulers
where it is possible, and there is a
deep rooted feeling of loyalty to their
reigning house among the masses of
the people. especially the provincial
people, Lisbon, it is true, the capital
and center of intelligence and agita-
ton, has many people of more or less
advanced views: but we doubt if the
republic would be sustained even by
Lisbon on fair test. King Manuel
is practically certain TO come back and
reassert his claim TO the throne with
more than a possible chance of sue
cess
There is one portion Of Portugal,
however, the Madeira Island group,
that is ready, not perhaps for repubh-
can form Of government, but for Gu
lightencd republican rule. The Ma
dcira islanders. particularly those in
and about F'unchal. the capital, would
be delighted if they could come under
American jurisdiction. There is in that
did Americans who are liberal in views.
generous IN conduct, and philanthropic
IN sentiment. The Americans have cs
tablished a number Of beneficial insti
tutioms in f'unchal in the way of
schools, not only for common education.
but trade schools for mechanical train,
ing and Institutions for advancing the
intelligence and skill of the Madcirans
in labor and effective appliance. These
schools being free, established by the
liberallty of American bounty, were z
revelation to the people of those isl
ands. They were delighted at receiv
ing the benefits from those schools
free of cost. They admire the Amcri-
cans most heartily, while feeling dis
trust of the English and resentment
against their own government for it's
restrictive laws and rigid supervision
over trade TO the detriment of the
islands and especially OF f'uuchal,
which would like TO be, and could cas-
lily be, one of the great trading ports
of the world. As it is now. however.
Funchal is restricted in its trade and
in its imports. especially bv the parent
government in Portugal, which desires
to have supervision and taxing con
troll that is injurious to Fnnchnl and
oppressive on the people of the whole
group. Those people do not understand
why il is that America. having such
tremendous wealth and such glorious
benefceuce does not take control over
the Madeira Islands, establishing there
d great cntcgprising port that would
eclipse any trading post anywhere on
the Mediterranean or on the Atlantic
seaboard in the vicinity of that lat
itude. IT is a dream Of the Island !
ers that could easily become true with /
American freedom and American enter
prise. and when ii comes to demon
stration which VIC shall probably hear
of being made in Fuuchal before long, |
it is practically certain that the dem- !
onstration will be in favor of segrega
tion from Portugal and annexation to |
the United States.
Madeira has no interest in the bloody |