The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1910-10-22
PORTUGAL.

Ii is not easy for us in America to IN
derstand the sudden outbreak and success of
the revoutionists in Portugal In the Au-
gust elections the Republicans did not cap
ture as mnay seats in the Cortes as they
mad predicted, and it seemed probable that more
was to be gained from continued peaceful agita
ton than from armed instruction. 1t is probable
that the Radical chiefs had reason to expect
coup d'etat on the part of the Ministry embracing
stern repression and involving return to the prac-
ticai dictatorship of former Premier Franco, and
feeling confident in the support of a section of the
army and navy determined to precpitate the crisis
The revolutionary fire that had been smoder-
ing for many years in Lisbon burst forth at last
suddenly and terribly. Not so very long ago the
revolution raised for a moment the bloody hand
and struck down King Carlos, father of the boy
king expelled early in the month When Dom
Emanuel succeeded to the throne be ought merci-
essy to have shot hung everyone associated with
the conspiracy against the throne eff Portugal
Ever since the murder of the King and tle act of
clelnercy on the part of the youthful monarch the
conspiracy against the monarchy deepened and the
conspira1ors took heart from the leniency of the
new King, which they deemed due tc cowarlice
If Franco, the Prime Minister Of Portugal when
Carlos was assassinated, had been permitted to re-
tain power another six months there would have
been uprising of the revolutionary party He
had all the elements of a dictator; his policy was
for reform and retrenchment and a benevolent des-
potism like that of Diaz of Mexico, which time has
proved to be best suited for Latin impulsiveness
and the Latin races.
But the murder of the King put an end to
Frances Ministry The expulsion of Dom Eman-
uel means, for time, at least, the end of mon
archical government. but it means also the expan-
sion of graft, which under royalty was living
thing Under the republic graft will thrive as it
throve before, for revolutionists are at all
times ravenous for the contents of the treasury
trough
1t can hardly be said that the newborn republic
began its career with dignity or honor The group
of who swept the monarchy from its throne
too hasty in the expression of their hatred and
too visionary and extreme in their revenge One
of their very first acts was to order the immediate
expulsion of the members of the religious orders
and to confscate, or rather steal, their property
They were generous enough to allow them
twentyfour hours to get ready, and then, at once
80 leave their country. Then the priests in charge
of parishes appearing in their clerical garb were
TO be arrested All parochial all Catholic schools
were ordered to be permanently closed and gov
enmental decree promulgated for the investiga-
tion and examination of all Catholic institutions
All over Portugal, priests have been arrested con-
vents raided and robbed, and the silver and gold |
altar plate stolen. All of which goes to prove that
hatred to religion-to Chrstianity-con the
strength of the revolutionary party.
We do not believe that this hostile and intoler-
spirit Of rreigion will be Endorsed by the peo-
PIE Of Portugal, who, in the country at large are
religious. but do not see how the popular will
can ind expression in any successful form of OPP
position.
The effort to maintain constitutional mon
arcly in Portugal has, for many years. been sad
failure, and it to have failed precisely be-
cause of the lack of the conditions necessary to
az orderly and efficient republic. Little by little
for the past forty years the rights and powers of
tie had been reduced until they became in
effective for guch good or evil. The King was a
Egurehead, instinct with life, it is true but in
capable of independent action and free movement
The republic may continue to exist but depend
upon it. it will be obliged to hold the reins very