New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-22
TIE YROGIIE PROGRAMME.


are now passing is ono of the most important
in all their history. Upon the result OF 1t
depends not only the form OF government
under which they are TO hive tor many years
to come, but also their reputation IN their
own eyes and those of the world. Their night
to democratic government depends upon the
issue Of the question whether they are aple
10 defeat the conspiracy of the MacMahon
Government and the Right against the liber-
ties of France without falling into the equally
deporable excesses of Socialism. The battle
is now fairly joined The voters declare
by large majOrities i'll favor OF the he
public wherever they are allowed to come
to the polls. But the Cabinet, ana
their adhercDts in the Assembly, have the
courage and frankncss to defy those eX-
pressions Of public sentiment, and to con-
time in manner as leisurely as it is reso-
lute to carry out their plan of subjecing the
country to their own views. or else dcprlying
the people of their votes. Their procedure Is
40 open that, except for one fact, 1t would
not be fair TO call it a conspiracy. But TINS
term cannot be called unjust as long as they
profess Republican principles, adopt the Re
publican name and pretend that their Official
acts are directed TO the well-being OF the Re
public, while they are working with their ut
most energy to destroy the two bases upon
which the Republic rests, municipal indie
pendence and an impartial suffrage.
They have learned sufficient caution from
this recent check to make no more such fatu-
Gus mistakes IA to permit their vigllant ad-
versares to beat them i'll half-empty house.
On Tuesday they forced through the Assembly
the bill comforting upon the Government the
power of nominating Mayors. by majority
of forty three. This accomplshes the hrst
part of the scheme to which we have ire
ouently referred. 1t seems 10 VI. de Broghe
and his associates that with this vast Increase
of the means of corruption and influence they
can arrest if not reverse the political tenden-
ces which are rapidly bearing the rural popu-
lations i'll the direction long ago taken by the
intelligent artisans and tradesmen IN the
towns The thing which has most alarmed the
Government has been this detection OF the
voting masses of the peasantry, upon whom
the Emperor relied so implicitly and who
always justified his reliance. Among you,'
he said in his speech at Meaux breathe at
cease 1t is their recollection of that blind
and exasperating unanimty which 80 long re-
sisted az with a mud wall the assaults OF the
better informed people of the cities which
encourages the little body Of lmperialists in
the Assembly and in the press to demand
another plebiscite, which they imagine would
result i'm restoring the fallen Empire. 1t IL
now perfectly certain that plebiscite would
do nothing for the Empire, and it is by no
means sure that this measure of the Govern
ment to appoint the Mayors for $1,000 Com
munes of France will be an efiectual means
of controlling the votes of the country.
Tho French peasantry must have been
far duller than they are if they had learned
nothing by the terrible story OF the last APP
peal to the country, and the Had of woes
which followed it. They were told that if they
voted "the good ticket they would have
peace and prosperity. They all did so, and
then saw the Empire which they had so 10y
ally supported rush foolishly into a war for
which no preparation had been made, and
destroy, with itself, France. SO far as it could
he destroyed. Having suffered thus severely
through one monarchy, it is hardly probable
that in this generation they will give them
selves up absolutely to the service OF party
which they justly suspect of intriguing to bring
into the country another king.
1t is altogether probable. therefore, that the
reactionary Cabinet will be compelled to use
all their resources to stem the current of
democratic opinion. There is no doubt that
they are resolved to do this. IL they cannot
corrupt or control the voting masses by the
absorption of the municipal administrations,
they will run the deadly risk of attempting to
deprive large body Of citizens OF their
votes. The Duke de BrOglie has already sig
nifed the will of the Cabinet to the Committee
of Thirty. He says they will be satisfied with
twenty five years as the legal age OF voter,
and with three years domicile as qualification.
The great mass of men under twenty five are
Republicans, as are also most Of those trained
artisans who by going from place to place in
search Of employment will be DISTINGUISHED by
the latter provision. But it does not appear
from our advices that the Deputies of the
Right intend to stop there in their plans for
muzzling the wild beasts which they think the
people to DO. Another scheme which hAA been