El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-06
PORTUGAL IS
FACING new
CRISIS
Separating Church and State
and Increased Taxes Are
Causing Trouble.
SEIUGGLERS WORK
DESPITE SOLDIERS

Lisbon, Portugal, April 6.-That
Portugal is in a serious financial and
political condition is no longer de-
MED. This state Of affairs. however. is
viewed with somewhat pessimisttc in
differenc; by tie netion at large.
At the beginning not only the Re
publicans, but good many Mon
archists welcomed the advent of 4 new
regime; but the Republican leaders
promised a great dea: more than they
have carried out The law Of separ-
alton Of chucch and state offended the
religious sentiments Of many people,
while the increased taxes on capital
and the Landlords Law anenated the
sympathies Of the wealthy classes.
Civil Administration Unsatisfactory.
The civil administration Of the cOun-
try has by no means Oeen satisfactory,
many capable and Intellectual men be
ing thrust aside, this being due 10 the
fact that they had not become Re
publcans before the revolution At
first mistakes were expected, and al
most everyone was DESTROYS Of giving
the Republic a fair chance. but since
the Republican government took Of
flee little has been done TO effect re-
forms Since october .. 1910, the an
nual expenditure has Increased, while
the revenue has considerably de-
creased.
Parliamentary debates have become
abOrtive, deputies merely making long
speeches which are franuCally cheered
by their supporters. but few laws are
passed. A great number Of projects
are presented and then referred back
to committees for study, after which
no more Is heard OF them Party
warfare and self-interest. which were
the chief causes Of the destruction OF
the Monarchy, have already begun TO
disunite the Republican regime.
Senior Almeida, the chief OF the Con-
servative Republicans, seeing the dan
ger Of the situation, has reconstructed
his party and instituted a new pro-
gram, the chief feature Of which Is
the remOdel1ng Of the law OF separa-
ton Of church and state. alterations
in taxation, z new electoral law and
other liberal schemes. the Idea being
posed Republicans and MOnarchiSts- It
is generally considered more than
doubtful whether he will have any
success, as the greater part Of the
country has lost faith in all politicians.
Moreover, the opposition OF the more
advanced Republicans IS too great to
permit Of any Roadway in this d.
rection.
Trade Is ParaIyzed.
This condition Of affairs reacts on
commerce. Trade IS now considerably
paralyzed. while the lack OF money is
great In Portugal the bulk OF trade
IS effected on credit, the banks dis
counting term drafts During the last
few months. bankers, due to the lack
of funds have reduced such facilities
to One-Quarter OF the previous amount,
while the Bank of Portugal, which
was the principal bank assisting
trade, has practically stopped all pri-
vate discounts, the cash il has in
hand being insufficient to supply the
constant demand for the govern
ments depleted Golfers. The state
now possesses nearly 90 per cent Of
the total of the issue Of the Bank Of
Portugal The circulation Of notes
has increased steadily from the time
OF the revolution Of 1910 without
cOncOmttant increase IN the metallic
reserve. The floating debt has also
been augmented The actual deficit
amounts to about ten millions yearly.
People are posing the question Of what
will become OF Portugal in the event
OF a political or financial upheavaL
Europe Interested
This unsettled condition OF Portugal
Is attracting the attention OF Europe,
and fears are openly expressed in re-
spOhsible quarters that European in
terventiOn may become necessary. The
recent general strike in Portugal,
which started as labor movement
pure and simple, was seized upon by
anarchists and mouarchistic agitatOrs
as q means OF furthering their move
ments- The government therefore,
found Il necessary to declare a gen.
eral state OF siege and to pour thOus-
ands of troops through the streets OF
Lisbon and Oporto. Over 1900 leaders
Of the movement were arrested and i'm
prisOned upon warships in the harbOr
Of Lisbon.
Under this stern repression the
strike gradually died, but there IS still
left the undercurrent of uneasiness,
the agitation among the friends OF