The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-12-09
THE WEAK POINTS OF FRANCE

seem TO ENJOY no InOIt pledSule III IhS
official world han their Spanish neigh
bors, according to yesterdays cable
grams Leroyer, the minister Of JUS
tice, and the under minister, have re-
signed. Waddington, the Anglo
Frenchman, also desires to resign the
premiership, for the third time. The
trouble appears to be an unrest on the
part Of the too radical members Of the
chamber of deputies, who are halluci-
mated with the idea that France is not
progressing sufficiently rapid as becomes
the leading republic of Europe. Posi-
bly, waddington's threatened resigna-
tion may cause them to stop and reflect.
Two other crises were thus averted, and
it is not impossible that the present one
will also be turned aside. The French
can lily afford to spare Waddington,
which truth will be doubly plain should
they persist in their course and force
him to retire in self-defense.
France will ever have crises IN her
| government SO long as it is nodded af-
| ter the pattern of constitutional mon
archies. The radicals Of the French
republic should direct their shafts, not
at the policy Of the ministers of the
government, but at the defects Of the
| government itself. 1t is too much like
that of imperial France, and England.
| Stability is the very first requisite in a
republic. Without stability and conf
| dence, n republic must perforce disinte-
CRATE. As'we pointed out the other day.
the cohesive principle Of a republican
form Of government, is confidence.
When that is wanting, it causes a state
Of affairs not unlike that Of a panic
stricken army on the retreat. Hence
confidence must be assured first of all
in a government. That essential quail
ty is unfortunately lacking in the
French government. The monarchies
of Europe lightly esteem the newest re-
public as but n hazardous experiment at
best, that will soon result in disaster.
Indeed. a very large proportion Of the
population of France, regard the mat
ter in the same light. They do not
know in their own minds, how long the
republic will last. One day, the severe
strains to which it is being constantly
subjected, may cause q rupture, in their
Judgment. Hence they cannot and do
not regard a republic as an established
fact.
Now the very first thing that should
be lone to place the French republic on
an enduring basis, in fact, as well as
the estimation Of the world, is the re-
moval of all causes of distrust; the pre-
yention of crises. This is an easy mat
ter. The French have but to take a
step in advance and pattern after the
worlds greatest and most enduring re-
public, the United States. Here q
ministerial crisis is unknown. Cabi-
nets never resign.
Now for a comparison: In France
the president is elected by the deputies
and senators in joint session. The presi-
dent requests somebody, who becomes
premier, to form a cabinet, and the
whole is called the government. All
bills for legislation are brought forward
BY the government. If they fail the an
nouncement of the fact sounds the
death knell of the government. The
cabinet is responsible to the chamber of
deputies. and must conform its policy
to the judgment of the majority or give
way to a cabinet that will do 30. Hence
misunderstanding are bound to be-
come innumerable, and may one day
prove most disastrous.
In the United States the president is
elected by the people. He appoints his
own cabinet, the members thereof be-
ing responsible to him alone, the presi-
dent in turn being responsible to the
people, subject to certain rules respect
ing impeachment by congress. No mat
ter what questions arise that cause dis
agreements between our government
and congress, no designations are neces-
sary. A crisis does not arise. The
machinery goes on uninterruptedly.
No question is raised about the stabili-
ty of our institutions. The people
know that the government is in power
and authority for a designated time, and
will retire only OF the expiration of
that time, unless the president is re-
elected by the people, and he chooses to
retain his cabinet. Hence there is GER
tainly and confidence in the stability Of
the government.
France needs to initiate these solid
features of our republic in order to in
sure its own solidity and perpetuity.
Until then she will continue to expert
ence trouble that will at all times
threaten her stability, and cause Europe
to expect the downfall of the French