New-York tribune., 1876-08-19
FRENCH AFFAIRS.
THE REIGN OF PEACE.


PARIS, June 30-The Departments OF Finance.
Education, and Public Works continue to take the
lead in moldng public opinion. Hardly had the
Chambers met than the mastery Budget speech OF
NJ. Say revealed situation that the most san
gune person had not yentured to hope for. His
statement showed that $l9,200000 was ayaila-
ble for general use. Next NJ. Wadding-
toms educational and university reforms, and
lastly tine Minister of Public Works came to
the front in q perfectly incredible manner.
The Exhibition project followed by
scheme for identifying Paris, whereby the splen-
dors of Baron Haussmann and the Empire was to be
eclipsed by the Republic and achieved without the
financial waste and disorder of the despotc era.
What the effect OF this last move has been 1T
would be difficult for any save Partisan to COM
prelend For you must remember that the E&hlbi-
ton and the improvements of Paris mean peace.
Here lies the real and immense significance OF the
whole just certain newspapers in Europe were
attempting to excite an alarm, there came the
decree fixing the Paris Exhibition for May, 1873.
The CONSERVATION of the Royasts and Cericas was
beyond all words; they clearly enough stability
and peace and worse STILL year of serene and calm
development from the Spring of rs TO the early
days of 79) Just when they had intended to agtate
the community during the election preceding tho de-
cisiye Chambers of 1850. They had no resource
save to raise their foolish cry of War" and
'Socal Danger and to declare that the bare notion
of an Exhibition was an act of insanity. But the
breath fairly taken out Of them when came tho
Convocation of the Municipal Council and the speech
of the Preect touching the embellishments of Paris
And Jet me observe that this is the most conclusive
of all answers to the cry for an amnesty. Pardon,
clemency cannot be too widely extended; but
comprehensive measure of forgetfulness Of all that
passed in III No! for this would give handle to
every enemy and acknowledge, as it were, legally
the right to social disorder in the Republic.
1t is notorious that the railroad development OF
France has been utterly stunted and stopped by the
power of the five main lines, the directors whereof
will "bear brother near the throne" tie con-
sequence being that France stands in Europe seventh
on the list of raiway-producing nations, ana thIt
whole provinces of the land are without the most ordi
nary methods OF intsrcommunlcatlon when once nara
| weather sets in. The one thing Indispensable To
success in attacking these monopOes is increasing
| prosperity and productiOn-which means peace out
of doors and in-ranquillity, and public confidence
am happy TO say that according to the testimony
of those who assist AT the discussions of the Budget
! Committee. Gambetta has boldly stated all the
! financial reforms to which France must aspire
The income tax, entaIIlng the hD.iratEIa liberation
OF the consumer nnISt;on @Id uno Of f"' chean food
has not been ended but is set forth as the absolute
necessity toward which the financial doctrines OF
France must tend 1t would seem that the so-callcd
"Dctator's" aim is, not only to Tighten the load
that weighs by indirect taxation the shoulders of
the consumer, but wholly to reform the system OF
! direct taxation shifting nearly the whole weight OF
what are now property taxes Ia income. With these
| alterations in the mode OF obtaining money comes
! also the change in the mode OF spending II: uis
now firmly believed that very large sums VIII grad
ualy and year after year be devoted 10 the TWO De-
| partments of Public Instruction and Pubic WORKS.
This is inseparable from the destruction OF the rail-
| way monopoly of the five great companies on tne
one hand aud from the estabis shment ON the other OK
| obligatory and therefore gratuitous education.
| This brings us at once to the sole feeling OF
disappointment touching the Minister of Public
| instruction. 1t cannot be concealed that what he
said about obligatory education has surprised and
disappointed q very considerable part of the public.
The argument Of the inadequacy of schools will not
serve. 1t is evident that once obligation IS made
law the schools will. and must, spring up; and Il ID
also evident that in so slow and naturally back
ward a country France, If Won do not begin by the
legal obligation you Will perhaps never come to 1t
save By a revolution. OF course, special eXemp-
| tions would have to be enacted where theTe
| were few schools unless indeed the state took
| upon itself the very trng expense OF temporary
schoOhOuse building, unless as would inevitably
follow private enterprise came to the res' ue, as ~
| has already done in the Of the commercial and
industrial schools largely founded since the war
| III many of the chief towns.
But this question of obligatory primary instruction
holds to another most important-that, namely, Of
| free education The State cannot Oblge father or
| mother TO mpart knowledge to their child, if the
parents themselves have no money wherewith even
to procure food and raiment. Obligatory education
means free education where the parent is without
| means. Now, tins ls q slngulafly NeNed question:,
for il strikes both at the clergy and clerical educa-
ton. Ii YOU place secular and clerical education un
equal terms you kill the latter Once free schools
established tGicy as it is now termed, may Do
left uncared for. The clergy know this thoroughly,
and so does Mr.. Waddington, and he knows that
with the enactment of obligatory instruction comes
the one fierce struggle of the age-thc struggle OF
darkness with light. of the Old with the New World
The mere announcement OF obligatory primary
education may at first not alarm even the Marshall
President but the moment the full bearings Of this
first move come to be discussed, the Marshal will
take fright and all the bishops of France viii be at
work. pouring into his ear the goomiest forebodngs
of what is going to happen to the Church. He viii
hear that he is about to be called upon TO sanction
the revolutionzing of the whole rising generation;
that unbelief atheism, Darwinism aud heaven only
knows what are going to be put IN the place of the
simplest faith in the creation! The instant thus
occuIs-and occur it must, account OF The insep-
amblhty of partial glatulty from oDh2alonI'ne
head Of the State VIII not be the only one to h0ld
back in alright More than one Minister VIII DO
found in opposition, and very possibly the senate
NAV prove unmanageabe. 1T NJ. " addlngton were
therefore TO plunge headlong into the burning ques-
ton Of obligatory instruction. 1t is probable ,hSt nc
would be consumed by it. His colleague Duiaure,
who is Prime Minister and President oi tle lOuhcl
would most certainly declare against MN tyr' as
have often repeated, Dutaure - jhoiOughgDlng
Clerical and It is likely that he would bc supported
by a majority in the Cabinet, the Marshal DECLARING
himself vigorously against "lMpley" NC t!tl,
| in this case, what end would M Waddingtol
achieved The sole of being himself forced ont
of the Ministry Where would he the Sainf by
showing, he has done, the unllmiied Liberalism OF
! his own tendencies, ami by MthdraWiHg nom hD-
.nedatcly decisive action in the matter OF obnga-
ton he leaves the thing in the hands OF the nation
What the nation really chooses, really wis, 10 must
! haVe-cvery body now recognizes tins truth But
then the nation must choose, must NH. tnG IIe;
tiated by the Assembly, AID will naturally obtain