POLITICS IN PORTUGAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1972, 31 January 1914, Page 4

POLITICS IN PORTUGAL.

Hope of better political conditions in Portugal is suggested by a cablegram, published yesterday, which states that Dit. Costa's Cabinet has resigned in consequence of the President, Bit, Mangel Ariuaga, suggesting that a Ministry of all partics should be formed to allay existing political passions. It would be unwiEe to build too milch, meantime, upon the resignation of the Ministry for raany hopes of improved political conditions iu Portugal have been disappointed during the last year or two, but it. is at anyrate eneouraginsr that such a suggestion should have- been made by the President. His action may bo accepted as an indication that public opinion in the Bflpuhlic itself is not altogether indifferent to a state of affair's which has been severely criticised in other countries. Frequent protests have been made from time to time in linglish newspapers against tho treatment of Portuguese political prisoners. Interest in the subject was revived last month by the publication in the London Daily Chronicle of a series of articles by Mr. Philip Gibbs, who recently made a tour of the Portiiguew) prisono/ Hft tecmn to htvo Sound no 4ifflculty in visitlag ti.oss csttblisbjacnta ml telkiu^^

with Hie prisma's, hundreds of wkoii have htfcii incarcerated for month without a trial. Mil, Gibus declare that the Republic rules, not by th strength of a free people, but by i reign of teiror. "The defenders o tho Republic," us says, "are not tlv people of Portugal, but n, hoi'tie n paid Bpion." It appears thai only ii ft lew cases have political prisoner been thrown into underground dun gcoiis, but tire prisons are so over crowded and the number of prison era is increasing so rapidly—afta: three years of Republican rule—tha new gaols aw> being hurriedly buil and meantime the , authorities ar< using convents and bishops' palace (from which the owners have beet evicted) for the reception of poli';i cal prisoners. A law of the Hcpub lie which declares that no man shal be imprisoned for more than cigh days without trial has been ignored Me. Gibus spoke with men who hat been imprisoned for fifteen rootith: without even being formally charge* aiid scores of men have been avrest ed by spies acting independently o: the police, and have not been brought t> trial. Conditions in Portuga just now seem to be comparable ir Bomc respects with those which ob taincd in France during tho Iteigj of Terror. The chief instrument oi a widespread system of espionage and_ terrorism which exists is tho ofganisation of the Carbonados. This powerful sac-ret society had a large snare in the revolution by wlikh the Monarchy was overthrown. It has since assumed the functions of an unofficial police fereo and has a( times proved itself strong enough tc attack tho Republican uovenuiient and the army. Its members, who carry arms, arc Republicans of the most extreme type and it is said that many hay?; joined its ranks in order to gratify some personal dislike or to secure the rewards given to successful informers. It is regarded bv independent authorities as, a body composed of dangerous fanatics Anu criminal adventurers. And it hits arrogated to itself tho power of summary arrest. Opinion in England is iu the main, friendly enough towards the Republic, and it is recognised that it has a> right to defend itself, but it is impossible for the people of any free country to approve the methods which the 'Portuguese Government has adopted to that end. In comparison with the innumerable plots and alleged plots that have been unearthed the actual resistance offered to the Government has been absolutely insignificant and it is evident that the repressive measures resorted to are harsh and disproportionate. Probably a strong protest would ere now have beer made by , England on behalf of t.h< oppressed Royalists, but for the far that it would be difficult to do 51 without seaming to interfere in the domestic affairs of Portugal, There is no desire to. embarrass the new regime, but lovers of liberty are bound to object, on grounds -of hu- ■, manity, to tho state of affairs that obtains in the spy-ridden Republic. Apart from the evils of imprisonment a great part of tho population has baen 'disenfranchised, and according to Mn. Gibbs tho recent triumph of the Costa Government "was that of a minority expressing -itself loudly over the heads of. a silent, voiceless, multitude" It is too iopn yet.to,estimate the , probable .fift?ct/pf;.the,.iiatflsfc apolitical ■ ctevdop;ment in Portugal, out it would appear that the stats of affairs at present is so bad that almost any change would be for the. better.