The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-03-25
The Situation in Portugal

specific purposes, such as "a bomb
weighing II kilos, intended by certain
revolutionaries for the destruction of
Quelhaes." This was surely rather
slip of the pen on the part of Senor
Lima, it is little side light on GER
tain other methods, for Quelhaes is
the great convent full of nuns and
their charges close to the Jesuit Col
lege, from which bombs were said to
issue on the revolutionaries-i is
patent even to the prejudiced now
where those same bombs came from,
not from the hands of the priests GER
tainly. Also society has not thrown
off it's mantle of mercy to such an
extent that it can yet see something
worthy of praise in the wholesale
slaughter of defenceless women and
children.
1t is no wonder that the perplexed
Government has suddenly begun to
think twice about the granting of the
franchise to all the peasantry of the
country. Their excuse is that the sons
of the soil are too illiterate to use
their privilege rightly. The real rea-
son is that Portugal is overwhelmingly
Catholic, that it was a handful of
people in Lisbon and not the popula-
tion of the country as a whole that
desired change of Government, and
they fear for their own necks if the
people were really to have their
power. The feeling in the city of
the Tagus is that of tense excitement,
people are living, not for the hour,
but for something which is shadowing
it, may be tomorrow. From Rio de
Janeiro comes the echo of this excite
ment in a so-called plot for the young
King, at present sojourning in London,
and occupying himself quietly with
the future interests of his people, for
he goes about discussing and investi-
eating schemes for the better housing,
the better education, and the better
conditions of labor of the poorer
classes The fact~that his tour in.
distant parts Of the world has been
postponed gives color to the rumor
that any moment may set him back
on the throne of his fathers. The
state of the country is shown by the
fact that news has leaked out despite
rigorous suppression that the inhabi-
tants Of Arco de Vale do Vez rose
last week against the Government and
drove it's representatives from the
town. Unfortunately it is said the
''insurrection" as it is called, has been
"quelled" by troops. We wonder what
al oroS how hor ivy 1a1
behind that word.
That the cause of the King is deeply
connected with the cause of religion
is only too apparent in this insurrec-
tion. It appears from the sparse in
formation available that Republican
official made public speech on the
occasion of some local anniversary so
violently abusive of the clergy and the
late King that the people rose en-
masse and marching to the Town Hall
unfurled the old Royal standard,
chanting a hymn as they went The
valiant revolutionaries there en-
trenched, fed in terror, and it was
only after ARGOS had arranged a pro-
visional local government that troops
numbers.
Clerical Prisoners.
Every day sees trains arriving in
Lisbon station with clerical prisoners
from other towns and villages arrested
and brought to the capital for punish
ment, because forsooth, they have had
the temerity to obey their Bishops
instructions and read the joint pas
toral letter recently issued by the
Portuguese Hierarchy, to their respec-
tive flocks. Several of the Bishops
we're brought before the tribunal, but
were discharged. The Bishop of
Oporto has, however, become the
scapegrace of the Government The
Civil Governor has asked for his expul-
sion from the country, and the Bishop,
when driving through the streets of
Lisbon on Tuesday was mobbed by a
gang of anti-clericals who cried "Death
to the reactionary Bishop" Of course
the latest excuse for this fresh perse-
cution of the clergy-which has turned
its attention to the seculars, having
got rid OF the last remnants of the
! regulars and even expelled the much
loved Little Sisters Of the Poor-is
, that there are several priests mixed
up in the plot which has ramifications
in Paris, Madrid, London, and Rio, to
!. restore King Manuel to the throne
! That Portugal has not risen in the
. esteem of the nations since she cast
3 off the yoke of Christ is the outstand
q ing fact Of the situation. Even hel
invitations to Protestant coIporters te
come and evangelize her have had nc
effect save on handful of old ladies
9 of both sexes who support such so
!. cieties. She is becoming a menace
g to the peace Of Europe with her bomb
I factories and her school of anarchy
9 and the powers are beginning to real
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