The state herald., 1916-05-12

strom of the European war,
was once a part of the ancient
Roman province of Lusitania, says
a bulletin issued by the National Geo.
graphic society.
With a population scarcely exceed
ing the combined population of New
York city, Jersey City, and Newark,
and an area in Europe less than the
state of Indiana, Portugal has not
played major role in the politics of
continental Europe in many years,
not, in fact, since Wellesley, after
ward the Duke of Wellington, land.
ed his English forces and. with the
aid OF native troops, defeated Soult
and Massena, Napoleon's marshals, in
the two peninsular campaigns.
But the colonial empire of Portugal
is out OF all proportion to the i'm.
portance OF the home country. In
fact there were, at the beginning Of
the war, only three other countries in
Europe-Great Britain, France, and
Germany-whose flags fioated over
more territory beyond the boundaries
of the homo country. The combined
area OF the New England and North
Atlantic states would equal less than
-one-fourth Of the territory under the
dominion of the tiny republic occupy.
ing the western edge OF the Iberian
peninsula, whose navigators in the fif-
teenth and sixteenth century were tho
wonders of the world. Yet all this
vast territory is held by 5000 colo.
NAL troops. supplemented by native
armies.
Peasants Are Poets.
A curious anomaly is to be found
among the peasants OF Portugal. who
are classified rs among the most II.
literate OF Western Europe, yet among
tho most intelligent Many OF the
farmers-three-fifth OF the population
is devoted to agricultural pursuits
have a remarkable gift for versiiica-
ton. and many OF tho poems OF the
country are handed down from gen.
GRAFTON to generation without being
recorded. The peasants also are noted
for their sobriety, and yet the annual
production OF wine exceeds 25 gallons
for each inhabitant. So great, In fact.
is the product OF the vineyards that
In the cities the various qualities OF
water are discussed with keener In.
terest than the grades OF wine.
While Portugal's maritime glory is
n thing OF the past. q large number
OF Portuguese still follow the seq for
n livelihood. and the fishing industry
is important The Portuguese sar.
dimes. however. are preserved In ltnl.
ian olive oil. although one-fifteenth OF
the cultivated area OF the nation is
given over to olive groves. for the pro-
duction OF oils Of cheap grade.
Tho Portuguese peasant woman Ia
an important bread winner. but shc
receives for hcr days labor OF 10
hours in tho field only shilling or
less. while tho men get two shillinSs.
Ono OF tho profitable and extremely
popular industries" OF tho rural pop
uiation ls n placid laying In walt for
tourists who attempt to motor through
tho country on tho lers.frequonted
and often impossible public roads.
with an oxtcam tho peasant waits at
= favorable spot until motorist.
travelling on an automobile on which
an import tar OF ti2o has been col
lcctcd by tho Portuguese government,
sticks In the mud. To haul out such
an unfortunate IL often moro profit.
able than several days work In tho
wheat. maize. or rico iielda.
Lisbon's Beautiful tarbor.
Tho harbor OF Lisbon, where tho
seizure OF tho German merchant ships
preeipIta,cd Portugal into tho war. IL
ono OF tho most beautiful In all Eu.
ropc, ranking scarcely second TO Ma.
pies and cons,antinoplc. The city IN
about tho niEc OF Pittaburgh. and has
been tho political ccntor OF tho mn.
ton nlnec II was wroHtod from tho
Moors In tho middle Of tho twelfth con.
tury By Alfonso HenriaueH. the founder
OF the Kingdom Il was the English
who aided Alfonso In his war against