PORTUGAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 54, 27 November 1907, Page 7

PORTUGAL.

A "CAMPAIGN OF FALSEHOOD.'*

NQ -.CIVIL WAR.

AUTHORITIES', DENIALS,

J(X IELEOKArn-rTEESS ASSOCIATION—COrYRIOUT,

(RecV'Nov. 26, 9.49 : p.m.)

■1 ;:;'., ; ' .'. Lisbon, November 26. , i Though it is admitted that thoro is a' political crisisjiin Portugal, ah authoritatifo denial is given to tho allegations regarding impending civil'war and/widespread disorder. :Tlieso ptories aro "attributed'to a deliborftto_,campaigDi' of falsehood'- against ■ tho Royal IHousc. : J ! : !'

■\WWih .the British-Primo Minister was 1 , reported' as' \sayinft that good government; was never, a> sufficient substitute for government: by the.;pe'nple themselves, Indian agitatort at oncosiezed'on this as a ,tox't. King Carlos and his-Premier, Scnlior Franco, are, according to V various accounts, -endeavouring! to prov'tf , tho , rdverso'of this,'principle. ; It is 'said ) have weeded out many, evils and .extravagances/ ."'' In "hisUast Budget the Premier, showed a re- "> duction on '.the'- expenses of his predecessors of ' on ni total expenditure I .of JE17.000.000. '•' 'Writes.the Lisbon correspondent of,'tho"Express ": "By'theso drastic economies'-the King and ,the-Premier justify the rule oftabsolut--. ism .'which- has now; continued for months.. It is a fact that there has : Keen gross abuse, of public funds. Politicians laiid their supporters , have been found 7 remunerative sinecures, somo of them occupying,-} as many as, oleven ! Govemrilerit offices at one and the same ; . time. The number and value-.-of the " positions, held we're governed by social status / 'ana political importance. ; : ' '." -A prominent election agent has.held for the last, eleven; years a lucrative ppsUJo'cated in the,:nor,th bfi Portugal, of tho whereabouts of which' "ho .has been ignorant this -day. • nevertheless, received his salary reguthe treasury here. Another case is tnat'ofra lately deposed politician<i,who, a few years; ago, was appointed ' Ministtir' Plenipo-tentiaryj.'to-China. During the "whole i period of.-his .tinure of office, ho never-left Portugal, ,i bin drew, ,£2500 a .year. He noniillally'occupied at the same time sixotheEsimblic positionsi'\f6i'rivliich he also salaries. The, cancellation of these posts'. r alono means a saving , of a .-year : to the nation. A MiniBtei , "appointed to Japan also, ueyci ; proceeded to^the-J'arvEast, but drew his saliffy in Lisbon for this],aM , several other nomical positions. ; :"It' ,; was'recently hrought too;light that a ; prominettt:'.'family had been -receiving for Bev6ral'yearsi:salaries accruing"/to:.several posts which , had held by a politioian long since dead.: There -is also the case.-ifif' au annual subsidy- granted by tho Governnient towards tho maintenance of a nunnery. This grant - fpr.,sdme years past did/not reach its destina-tion;,-for the, simple reason thtit. the nunnery , had -ibeto abolished.. The money went into ■. tli(!.,j)pckets 'of private individuals. This cqr : rnption extends throughout the"wholo administrative • departments of the o. country. The

',' Premier'. has-, naturally created hundreds of i.enemies' by abolishing the 'sinegures. Ho deola'res,: however, that he wilkcqniplete his. task before "dictatorship is parliamentary. government." ■'!•;' ■.