NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 10 February 1908, Page 1

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE LISBON TRAGEDY. RECENT EVENTS IN THE CAPITAL. KING AND PARLIAMENT. Although the cablegrams attribute the Lisbon tragedy to foreign Anar- j chists, recent events would seem to • show that it is not unconnected with political troubles in Portugal itself. Rather over a year ago, there was a furious discussion in the Portuguese Chamber concerning the private debts of King Carlos. Dr Atforea Costa asked the Government to mortgage the Hoyal estates and then expel the King like a common criminal. These remarks led to a scene of great confusion. A few months afterwards the Ministry was defeated, but the King dismissed the Parliament and maintained the Government in office. The Constitution provides that in caso of dissolution a new Parliament must be called together immediately ; but King Carlos ignored this provision, and governed by decree. Popular commotions in Oporto and Lisbon followed, at the former place the Premier and his guards being sfil upon by a crowd in tho streets and stoned. A barricade was erected, and a fusilaue was kept up for some time between police and rioters, many on both sides being wounded. The Republican fires were, however, not extinct, but smouldering. This became evident towards the end of lastAugust, when the explosion of a bomb led to the discovery of a plot to assassinate King Carlos and the Premier. Government by dictatorship continued, accompanied by muttenngs of rebellion and overth r ow of the monarchy. The dictatorship was made complete a few weeks ago, when decrees were issued appointing administrative commissioners to supersede the Counrilß-General and municipal and parochial councils. If the Madrid correspondent of the "Daily Express" is to be credited, the Crown Prince dicl not approve the unconstitutional acts of his father. He remonstrated with the King on the danger of continuing a dictatorship, which, he pointed out, was turning

( Portugal into a hotbed of republicanism and anarcism, and was endangering the dynasty. It was generally undtr- | stood that the Queen snared her son'i views,.