The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-27
PORTUGAL PREPARES FOR THE ELECTIONS Provisional Government Has Pledged Faith FACTIONS ARE ACTIVE Minister of Public Works Tires of DictatOrial Socialism of Which
 Costa Is the Leading
 Figure
FACTIONS ARE ACTIVE

Lisbon Portugal, February 26.-The provisional government has promised l faithfully that the election shall talk . place the latter part of April. With their approach the gap between the socialistic l factions, headed by Alfonso Costa, min ister of justice and Brito Camacho, who | succeeded Senor Gomez as minister of public works, widens. Both ministers are publishers of newspapers and their prin- ciples and policies are reflected clearly In | their journals.
 l The country appears 10 Senor Camacho to be tired of the dictatorial socialism of which Costa Is the leading figure. f'r- haps 1t was thls feeling that has caused a | reaction in favor of International methods and brought forth demands for the cleo ] tions and the convention of the national assembly.
 | The conservative republicans or moder- ates will probably have large majority in the assembly. The financial and com- mercial classes hope so at least. They welcomed the republic as a possible rem edy for the abuses of the old regime, but they are beginning to be anxious about the security of the country under the present administration.
 l The new electorial law provides that all males of age able to read and write may vote. If illiterate the father of the fam | fly may vote.
 l Although the republic seems to be se- cure, the monarchists are still conspiring. The newspaper Republca, which is the organ of Senor Almeida. minister of the interior, reports that quantity of arms has been smuggled through the Spanish l frontier into Portugal by the monarchists. l Several arrests have been made, the pris- oners including two priests.
 | Among the measures undertaken by the been duly established. The idea Of tho I church and state. For time the diplo- matic corps in London were in doubt as regards the property conf1scated by the provisional government, which belonged to the foreign congregations and con
 vents. The government now declares that
 either this property will be returned or an indemity paid, when ownership has | beeu duly established. The idea of the
 separation has found considerable favor among the clergy here. The govern l ment's action In devoting nearly s1,000. .0vv for> pensions has done much to obtair,
 clerical good will, and it has issued a note
 that priests of all creeds shall be free to l preach and carry on the necessary pro-
 paganda of their religions.
 The minister of public works has ,fnada
 an inspection of the treasury chamber
 in the vaults at the royal palace of Ne | cessidades In which are deposited the
 crown jewels and personal valuables be- longing to the deposed royal family. In the inventory taken are a unique table
 service of silver weighing more than a ton, King Manuel's crown and sceptre of
 solid gold and studded with precious
 stones and several blocks of virgin gold the largest weighing A pounds.
 The gem of the collection consists of
 a safe full of jewels, among which is
 the diadem belonging to tho queen mother
 Amele and a necklace given her by her father, the Count of Paris. The necklace is valued at S200,0O0, while all the con- tents of the treasure chamber have an
 estimated value of $3.500,000.
 The reason for this inventory is that
 the British government informed the
 Portuguese government that King Manuel and Queen Amelie desired to have pos
 session of their own jewelry. The min- ister of finance authorized the statement
 that all the valuables which are proved
 to be the private property of the mem-
 bers of the dethroned family will be re- turned to them.