THE LISBON TRAGEDY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13699, 16 March 1908, Page 6

THE LISBON TRAGEDY.

A REVOLUTION PREDICTED

RE PUIS LI (J A NISM. IN PORTUGAL.

[FROM OUfl OWN COniIBSPONDBST.]

London, [February 7. *" A I'itKss representative had an interview yesterday with a distinguished Portuguese as lo the present position of affairs in that country, and the causes that led up to the assassination of Dora Carlos and the Crown Prince. This gentleman, who only came from Lisbon a few weeks ago, is a personal friend of Dom Miguel, Duke of Braganza, the Pretender to the throne, and the son of a late member of the Cortes who held high office under the Crown. Ho stated : "1 was 111 Brighton when I first heard the news, but 1 was not in the least surprised. I had expected it for some time, and so had every Portuguese. Indeed, a revolution two years or less hence is what we are looking for, and the danger is that such a thing will happen now. The King (Dom Carlos) knew his life was in danger, and never went about unless strictly guarded. At the last bull-fight King Carlos attended he was hissed from all parts of the house. "He dare not go to another, and neither dare he attend the theatre. I can assure you, as one who was brought up as a Conservative, and under Conservative influencesbut 1 take no part in political matters now —that lie was most unpopular. The Crown Prince was more democratic, and was strongly drawn toward the policy of Senhor Hint/A? llibeiro, the Prime Minister before Senhor Franco, who was dismissed by Dom. Carlos. " Let me explain to you," continued the speaker, "the position of parties in Portugal. There are, in the first place, no Monarchists as the term should be properly understood. JO very party is .strongly impregnated with Republican principles, and in ■ the Cabinet oven of Senhor Franco I had a, personal friend who is a Republican. The Conservative leader is Senhor Julio do Yilhena; the Progressist, Senhor Luciano do Castro; the Dissentient Progressist (a party formed as the result of a split with the lastnamed), Senhor Alpiom; the Franquista, Senhor Franco (the Dictator); and the Republican, Dr. Barnardino Machado. We have no socialists and no anarchists worth the name. Now, the whole of these parties are impregnated to the very core with Republicanism; the country is Republican at heart, and the most powerful paper we have is the Seoulo, a Republican organ. Lisbon and Oporto always vote Republican, and no Government but a Republican one could be returned upon their vote. The educated and professional classes are Republican, and so, in reality, are the peasants. Dom Carios' reactionary policy was a fatal mistake. He and Franco tried to kill Republicanism, and this is the result." Twelve bullets were taken out of the carriage aftev the tragedy. It is stated that the doctors who examined the bodies have come to the conclusion that the same bullet, evidently that fired by the man running behind the carriage, killed both the King and the Crown Prince, passing right through His Majesty's body and entering that of Prince Luiz.