The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-09
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.
EdItorinI Opinions of the Lending Journals
I,non Cnrrent Topics Compiled Every
nav for the Evening Telegraph.
MORE REFORM.

MORE REFORM.
From the NJ Y. Tribune
If il be true, as some of the official bulle-
fins would have us believe, that his Majesty
of France has been subject of late to nothing
physically worse than very encouraging kind
of rheumatism, then we presume the most
ser.ious of the imperial Affections are moral
and political The Emperor may not be in
deed the abiect victim of disease battling to
the science of medicine, but it is probable
that he is more or less subject to an infrmity
well known in politics. and is sick of reform
robust Emperor would not have an insu-
perable task in recovering from the symptoms
now displayed in the body polite of France,
always supposing that empire itself is not a
disease of such character as to be incurable
by reform. 1t is possible that his Majesty
will survive the latest symptoms of progress,
but who and what, finally, are to cure the
maady known as empire? Who shall pre-
scribe at last for the Emperor seeing that his
disease is Frances health, and that so many
Frenchmen are interested in keeping his
Majesty under the weather?
The Emperor is about to take up his bed
and walk to Paris, if the gossips say truly;
but really his disease is only beginning again.
The other day he signed DEGREES, and received
his Senates exhibit of the passage of the plan
of reform which he marked out several
months ago All this looks like business and
health. and to the gentlemen of the bed
chamber his Majesty may seem good for ten
wears vet. Nevertheless, the high priest of
Napoeonism cannot escape the disease,
whereof the Senatus Consultum, the Coun-
cils-General, and Prince Napoleon are symp-
toms. 1t is a right excellent malady and
though it be poison to imperialism it may be
meat to France. The consumption of the
empire has begun with reform and conces-
sion, and it is to be seen whether it must die
a speedy OF a lingering death
The passage of the Senatus Consultum,
almost exactly as the Emperor sketched 1t In
the first instance, was foregone conclusion,
and adds nothing to our news We have no
trouble in agreeing with the commission
charged with its report that the initiative IN
law-making, the right to amend and interpret
late and to propose orders of the day, the
publicity of debate, the consideration of the
budget in detail, and the principle of minis
terial responsibility so far as it may go, are
considerable changes. But France, once
taught what it is to be fed with the bread of
liberty. is not willing to break its fast upon
ANYTHING short of a meal The Emperors
concessions were no doubt generous aims Ill
the eyes of those who conceive that the
French are more apt to be beggars than
choosers. But here again is unsatisfed
France with a prince at its front, cla-
moring for more, and now the Councils
General add their voices to the demand which
has gone up out of the late elections. Over
and above the Emperors programme some of
the Councils appear disposed to ask rights for
themselves. That of Dion has entertained
motion for public sittings, for the right OF
the Councils to express themselves on every
important public topic, for the election by
ballot of local administrative commissions tc
serve during three years, and for the disquali
fcation of imperial Office holders to sit as mem
bers of Councils. In another Council q mo-
ton has been made for municipal independ-
ence, for the reform of the conscriptions
and for the revision of the press laws
Although we see it officially denied that any
considerable movement has been made il
these department councils in the way of new
reform, the facts recorded are sufficiently in
dicative. Prince Napoleon sounded timel,
note in his late speech, which, whether i
were or not an imperial feeler, has found the
great French instrument rather loudly il
tune The illness of the Emperor, equal,
with tho utterance of the Prince makes sharI
the significance of the hour to France, an(
we may now look for further progress in tn,
direction of the municipalities and prefecture
in the same expectation with which we viewet
the results OF the late elections. new
Ministry with Prince Napoleon at its head, a
the London Times suggests, seems no
so probable as plausible; but municipal self
government is evidently fixed feature of tn
new Reform bill, and the empire liberalize
is France becoming repubhcanized.