The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-28
Paris aud Frauce-The Republic of 1898
and the Republic Of 1S7O-7I.

| utost iHpOStix anu Impressive Vi uii tuc
astounding events of this gigantic war, the
decisive triumph to the arms of Germany
, and the browning disaster to France. Incom-
prehensible as the facts appear, it is still true
that Paris, enclosed first by strong military
wall, strengthened by outside entertainments,
lunettes and redoubts, and next by an exterior
circle of the strongest modern Notifications,
and with the city and its defences occupied by
over three hundred thousand fighting men,
has still been held for four months so tightly
in the iron grasp Of Germany as to fall In
every sortie on every side to break the Ger
man line, while every outside movement for
her relief from the French provincial armies Of
three hundred and fifty thousand men has mot
with disastrous defeats until imperial Paris
the heart and soul of France, exhausted by
famine and reduced to despair, is about to
repeat the humiliations Of Sedan, Strasbourg
and Metz
| Fallen, fallen. fallen
| Fallen from her high estate.
Is this the proud, imperial Paris, or is this
| the mighty France whose resistless legions,
under the Little Corporal" went forth to the
subjugation of Europss No; it is not
the Paris or France of the first empire
and the frat republic, but another Paris and
different France Nor is the Germany Of
1901 the Germany so frequently and
remorselessly overrun and cut up and par
cellsd out among his family and his satellites
by the first Napoleon. We see it now that
France, in her military elements, spirit and
capabilities, has been declining since the
Continental peace of 1915, and that Germany.
under the example of Prussia, has since that
day been growing and developing as mill
tary power, with ''all the modern improve
tant Of oil, the universal education Of her
children. We began to see this new German
side Of the picture in the Austro-P russian war
of 1866, though Louis Napoleon thought it was
the needle-gun, and, later, that his Chassepot
was more than match for it. We had, how
ever, no conception of the military decline Of
France until startled by the crushing defeat at
Woerth Of that magnificent French imperial
army column Of Marshal MacMahon
What, then, are the causes of this military
decadence of France? They are partly due
to the advantages of the military system of
Prussia and Germany as compared with that
Of the second French empire; but there are
| other causes affecting France to her founda-
tons which may be traced to her great reyo!u-
ton of 1889. Down to that revolution the
French peasantry and the masses of the French
people were hardly, in fact, above the con-
Il difiOn IF Rucoiau AZ
remains of the old feudal system, throughout
the State were held by the State and its mobiles
and cultivated by the peasantry, practically as
| serfs. They were emancipated by the revolu-
ton OF SO; and then, after the confscations
of the domains Of the crown and the nobles in
the new distribution of tlS lands, began that
subdivision or parchment of great estates
into small farms to which France is indebted
for her present system of small farms owned
by her peasantry. 1t was from the inspiration
| Of this emancipation and lifting up of the
French peasantry that the armies Of the re-
public of 1898 were match for all Europe.
Then came in the great Napoleon with his
imperial government, and in making secure
the good work of the republic done for the
peasantry, and in selling their new military
inspiration, and in Transforming peasants,
butchers and bakers into marshals and princes
and potentates he made the armies of France
the masters Of the Continent. Thus the pas
sion for military glory, strengthened by the
substantial fruits Of the republic and the kb-
eral bounties and personal ambition fostered
by the empire, exalted France to the first place
among the great Powers.
Thus the devotion of France to the memory
| Of Napoleon the First opened the way to the
| restoration of the empire under Napoleon the
Third. His legend, too-''The empire is
peace'-was right; and, while he adhered to
it it made him the arbter of Europe. The
Peasantry on their little farms were satisfied
with the empire and peace. 1t was glory
| enough for them. They did not want any
thing better. In the peaceful cultivation
Of their fields and gardens they had sure
profits; in the Emperor sure protector; and
they saw no profit in war. But all this time
the loose materials of the great cities, ham,
pered by despotic restrictions upon the press
and speech and public meetings, and having
gained nothing from the republic but its ideas,
and having nothing to gain from the empire
and nothing to lose from revolution, were on
the watch for revolt. And so it came at
Paris with the catastrophe at Sedan. And here
was the fatal blunder Of Gsmbetta and Com
pany. They thought, under the republic of
1870, to revive the resistless French military
spirit Of the republic of 1893. But the whole
face of things had been changed, and they did
not see it, The republic of 1913, in the eman-
cipation and exaltation Of the peasantry, gave
them priceless cause to aght for-the repub-
lie Of 1870 promised them nothing which they
cared to gain, but much which they dreaded