The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-07

thermore they were released simply on
parole, and under the terms of their
ticket-of-leave they can be re-arrested on
suspicion and re-imprisoned without trial
of any kind. And finally. this misnamed
amnesty" was confined to the poorer
class of prisoners, such as ex-policemen
and farmers wyho served in the ranks in
the last incursion.
Costa undoubtedly owes his power to his
strong personality, but even he could not
remain at the head of turbulent Portugal
If he did not have behind him
other powerful influences. First and fore
most there is the Carbonate, that great
secret society which seems destined to
play as large a part in the affairs of
Portugal as did the great secret organi-
cation from which it takes its name in
the history of Italy. Membership is, like
many of its affairs, a mystery. being
variously estimated at from 5000 to 10000.
Probably the smaller number is nearer
the truth, yet it undoubtedly owes a lot
of its power to this very ignorance of
its limitation. In the opinion of a large
section of even the intelligent eonspira-
tors of every ilk there is an active mem
ber OF the Carbonate in every household
ready to convey the first hint of plotting
to the leaders. This is of course absurd
yet the society Is undoubtedly is extraor-
dinarily active. and has really played an
important and not altogether unheroic
part In establishing and maintaining the
republic. All who went through the revo-
luton of 1910 will not forget the splendid
services rendered by it's members. For
two weeks following the flight of Manuel
fI,nr,.
and little or no official control over the
lawess riff-raff who were constantly on
the watch for an opportunity to sack and
pilfer. yet it is a remarkable circum-
stance that because of the vigilance of the
Carbonarios, who acted as police not
a single shop was broken into hundreds
of thousands of dollars lay safely in the
vaults of dozens of banks and millions of
dollars worth of loose property was appar-
emily as safe as if no revolution with its
attendant evils had ever disturbed the
sun-baked calm of the city. And in
judging the Carbonarios 1t must not be
forgotten. that although the Neoessidades
palace, with all its many treasures, with
all it's fabulously valuable plate set out
on its immense dining table, was invaded
by turbulent mob flushed with the taste
of blood, enraged by years of royal in
justice, hot on the trail of the fleeing
Manuel not single article of value was
missing when an official inventory was
made few days subsequently.
From all the evidence that can be
CLEANED Costa is not a member of the
Carbonario. He has said as much pub
licly. But the minister of public works
In his cabinet is one of the professed
leaders. and the actual head of the society
is one of his closest supporters, and
through these two he undoubtly pulls
the strings.
Another circumstance that makes for
his continuance in office or at least in
power-for whether in or out of office
he Is likely to pull the wires for many
months to COMETS his connection with
the Masons. Every member of the pres
ent Costa cabinet is a member of that
society, and their influence throughout
Portugal, as in countries like ITALY, is
enormous.
Undoubtedly they We're behind the anti
clerical law that disestablished the Ro-
man Catholic church and practically drove
the priests out of Portugal. Indeed Costa
who is free thinker, was the author of
1t. After the ousting of the royalists
and their temporary disappearance from