New-York tribune., 1910-10-09
He PORTUGUESE PROGRAMME.

THE PORTUGUESE PROGRAMME.
The policy Of the new government Of
Portugal as outlined by Mr.. Machado,
the Minister for Foreign Affairs, is gen
orally commendable- Its statements Of
fact concerning the condition of the
country and the acceptance Of the re-
public are presumably correct. Its raLi-
fication OF existing national obligations
is q matter of course. It's promises Of
Justice and reform are doubtless sin
cere It's general freedom from rancOr
and vindictiveness is praiseworthy and
auspicious Its one threat, TO suppress
the religious congregations, is perhaps
70 be Judged from the European rather
than the American point Of view We
do not do such things here. Whether
the principle Of j free church in a free
state is equally applicable in Portugal
is 4 question which the Portuguese
themselves must answer. for better or
for worse It Is probable that secular
anragonism against what was regarded
as clerical domination Of schools and
state had much 10 do with the precipi-
tation of the revolution. We cannot
blame the republican government for
wishing 10 guard against clerical inter
ference with civil affairs. but We must
hope that in doing so the state will not
needIessly interfere in ecclesiastical af
fairs.
There is no exaggeration in Mr.. Ma
chado's remarks about the magnitude
OF the work which lies before the new
government. It has. as he says. prac-
ticallv TO make the country over. At
least il must do that if it is fully 70
Justify its existence For there is need
Of such recreation. and il is that need
which called for the change Of govern
ment The monarchy may or may not
have tried TO improve the condition Of
the nation: it certainly did not succeed
in doing so. Portugal has for years
been pretty steadily going from bad 10
worse. until its condition has become
so bad as 10 threaten collapse Just 4
few facts will show how bad it is. The
area Of the country is about equal 10
that of our State Of Indiana, or nearly
three-uuarters the size Of New York.
five millions Yet ii is burdened with
debt of about SS60.OOO.OOO or $172 a
head. and its budget shows a yearly def
cit of from one 10 three millions. while
its imports are more than twice its ex-
ports. That means condition which is
calculated to drive any but the most
coura geOus national financier to despair.
The exasperating feature of it is that
this enormous debt has been incurred
chiefly in times Of profound peace, and
with no cOmpensating benefits TO the
people Portugal has had no costly wars
TO wage and no great military establish
ment to maintain. She has done 40
great public works. She has long had
nominally a system of universal educa-
ton. but the net result of it is that more
than three-quarters Of her people are IL
literate SO that it is not upon her
schools that the money has been profit
ably expended II is notorious that many
government officials have drawn large
salaries without rendering services in -
turn. and there have been other profit
gate practices, If the republic can get
rid OF such things put the balance on
the right side of the budget sheet and
still do the public works Of education
and development which the country %
greatly needs, il will abundantly Justify
its establishment