The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1940-06-13
New Life Stirs Historic
Homeland of Ancient
Trade Builders.
Prepared by National Geographic Society.
Washington. d. C-MNII Service.


Washington, d. C.-WNU Service.
Four centuries ago Portugal
changed the map of the world by her
epochal achievements in discovery.
The vast wealth that poured into
her treasury did much to shape the
course of European affairs.
No unsupported bombast was the
title assumed by the monarchs:
king, by the grace of God, of Por-
tugal and of the Algarves, both on
this side of the sea and beyond in
Africa, Lord of Guinea and of Con-
quest, Navigation, and Commerce of
Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, and In
dia.'
Then, too, there were the Azores,
Madeira, and gigantic Brazil, whose
riches proved even greater and
more permanent than the commerce
Portugal pioneered in the Far East.
But lean years came. Energetic
Netherlands traders captured many
of the Orient's markets; Indian
monopolies vanished; Brazil waxed
strong and became independent.
Wars, internal confusion, and i'm
provident rulers contributed further
to her decline. During the last CEN
trTy Portugal has seen much of eco
nomic depression.
New National Life.
In the past 10 years, however,
new life has stirred in this historic
nation. Though less spectacular
than sailing the seas in search of
the mysteries of Africa or the wealth
of the Indies, Portugals program of
rehabilitation has been scarcely less
impressive.
Today new foundations have been
laid in the Estado Novo, or New
State. Portugal has been able to
maintain a balanced budget. Ports,
roads, municipal corporations, civic
welfare, schools, and public enter
prise have felt the quickened pulse
beat of the new order. Leader of
this government is Premier Antonio
de Oliveira Salazar.
A few years ago roads were hard
ly more than marks left by the an
cient, wayward wanderings of itin-
Grant oxcarts, and were alternately
deep with mud or choked with pal
lid dust. Now they have surfaces of
gravel or stone.
Side-stepping mules and lumber
ing oxen are still the chief hazards
to tenders in rural districts, but the
motorist who blithely swerves round
corner without giving warning
may hit something harder. For
there are buses, and an increasing
number of trucks.
Many New Highways.
Passenger vehicles now operate
on more than 5000 miles of major
highways-this in country only $50
miles long and 125 miles wide. In
recent years they have carried
enough people to approximate two
rides yearly for each of the 1850, 900
inhabitants.
Walking, however, is by no means
lost art. Seeing women, graceful
as Greek goddesses, with heavy wa
ter jars or baskets or produce
perched on their heads emphasizes
that fact. Most market-going peas
ants still ride fop-eared donkeys
rather than "fiivvers."
Although progressive innovations
increase, traditional customs and
Old World scenes prevail. A visit
to Portugal savors of a pleasant in.
terview with the gracious occu.
pants of a historic family manor
AS your ship steams into the
Tagus rivger (Tejo) at dawn, yor
have the feeling of moving along &
hallway filled with treasured heir
looms. On your port, slender ray
of sunshine, piercing cloud, seek:
out the quaint waterside tower O.
Belem-half Moorish, half ornate
Manueline in design-which stand:
as symbol of Portugaps early
ventures beyond the seas.
Golden Age Beauty.
A short distance beyond rears tht
dome and white stalagmitic spire.
of the old Monastery of Jeronymos
an artistic crystallization of the
country's Golden age opulence.
There, in tiny mariners chape
that formerly occupied the site
Vasco da Cana and his crew saie
prayers the night before they hoist
ed sail to beat around the Cape o
Good Hope and blaze the sea trai
to India. There, beneath loft,
arches in one of the transepts, hi
body now rests. Another of Portu
gals heroes also shares that quiet
Luis de Camoens (Camoes) who's
epic poem, The Lusiads, sang of th'
doughty Vasco.
High on the opposite hills loome'
the remains of old forts and crum
L h