The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-30
OUR PARIS LETTER.


pressions. the commercial stagnation. and the
internal dangers which prevail in almost every
European country. 1t is strange to Ind peace
and plenty rcignng in France Her industries
nro thriving, capital is abundant socialism Is
silent II not extingushcd. and material
prosperity based upon political content, char
acterizes the present condition. Never since
| tho German war has q new year found the
streets OF Paris more thronged or brilliant.
| The shop windows bear the traces Of the late
| Exhibition in the increased variety and elegance
| of the wares which they display, and the signs
| OF the abundance OF coin which tho summer
visitors have left behind them are everywhere
! apparent. As n consequence of all this we'll
| being. the people are becoming more and more
satisfied with the institutions under which they
live so far from the name OF Republic being
menace to the tranquility and order Of France
| or OF Europe that name IS recognized both at
homo aud abroad as the best guarantee Of
| peace. The old cry Of rerdnche has died out;
| Frenchmcn desire nothing moro than TO be
kept out Of tho political complications OF
| Europe and to be allowed to develop undis-
| turbed the resources OF their native country.
They see that their vengeance is being worked
out without any effort on their part, and that
Germany. the land to which they wish the most
| ILL., is tho most mennnccd.
The final triumph for the cause OF order has
| been the result Of the late Senatorial elections
a majority Of ffty-seven Moderate Republicans
in the Senate Both Monarchsts and Imperial
| ists profess themselves pleased with this unex-
! pccted majority on the ground that AS the spoils
Of Office are limited. the Republicans must ofne-
ccssty quarrel over them among themselves and
that the consequence will be split in the party.
But 1t is evident that this pretended compac-
ency Is only an attempt to make the best Of
! defeat 80 crushing that the defeated leaders
must say something to revive the courage Of
! their adheronts. II the Extreme Left should
combine which they probably will no. with the
Extreme Right. the Moderates would yet hold
the majority and would not be 50 foolish ne TO
throw away the magnificent and commanding
position in which they have been placed by the
recent elections
| Until now the Government has shrunk from
| giving the administration markedly Republic
can character and the official appointments
| have had strong monarchicnl cooring. In the
Foreign ONCE. for instance Monsieur Wad-
dington was anxious, year ago. to make
| changes which should satisfy tho natural de-
mands OF Monsieur Gambetta and his friends
who were tired OF finding that while they prac-
! tically ruled tho country by their influence,
! they shared mono of the good things. This
produced temporary estranRement between
! the Minister Of Foreign Affairs and the dis
! tinguishcd tribune OF the commons. and there
WIS a nsiderabe tension at times between the
| Republicans and the Cabinet. But this tension
was due rather TO Monsieur Dufaure than to
| Monsieur Waddington the policy Of the former
| being to await the result Of the Senatorial cleo
! tons before deciding to manifest any Repub.i-
can tendencies in his Appointments. Now that
the nation has declared itself in such decided
terms. there is to be no more delay Monsieur
| Chalemel Lacour. one OF Gambetta's most init
mate friends. and n Republican OF somewhat
advanced type. is to be sent rs Minister to
Switzerland and other appointments are in
prospect which will place the Republicans not
only theoretically but practically in power.
While II is possible that there may be some
changes In the Cabinet. ana that some members
may ba removed who have made themselves
obnoxious TO the Republican party the leaders
will remain. The rumors that Monsieur Wad-
dington will leave are dying away. and II is
asserted that he will. ms Monsieur Gambetta +
| mouthpiece be tho most influential man in the
Cabinet.
But there always remains the difficulty OF
dealing with Monsieur Gambetta himself. Al
this moment he is 10 all intcnts and purposes
the dictator OF France; It would be impossible
for the Government 10 successfully adopt a
I Dollcy NOT hppToN'u 10y MIN, anu UTMOST lulpNS-
sible for II to refuse 10 follow his instructions
in every particular. This is CALLING and hui
initiating position for the President OF great
country and his Ministers and although the
Marshal Is toerAbly philosophic. he would not
be human II he did not feel the humiliation. the
more especially as his own political instincts
are intensely anu-repubcan. while TO his wife
who is a leGltmist. nothing but the grandeur OF
the position compensatcs for the inliguity at
taching TO it. The question is whether Gam.
BETA will himself always be- content to be the
power behind tho throne. and whether he vii
not be compelled by circumstances and by the
voice Of the nation TO take n more decided and
ostc ntatious position in the direction Of ma
tonal affairs. Those who know him we'll aver
that OF all things an official life is what he
wishes most to avoid. He sees clearly thai
once in office. whether rs Premier or M Presi,
dent he enters into new relations with the PEG.
pie; that he woull have to assume responsible.
ties which lie now escapes and would incur the
unpopularity which is invariably concentrated
upon the head Of the State In France Hence il
is that his btterest enemies desire earnestly Il
sec him I'm power, and hence he is so anxious e
decline that power.
According to the present existing Constitu
ton. which has been largely adapted to III,
idiosyncraccs OF the present President. tina
functionary Is n mere puppet occupying verl
much the position Of royalty In a constitution
country. This is position which certainly
would not suit Monsieur Gambe,ta. who whi
he is Republican in name. is in practice ono o
the most arbitrary and autocratc OF men. Fo
this reason It is that he has always been 81
chary OF prompting innovations upon the ad
minstrativc machinery Of the empire. He ha
all the instincts Of Capitalization which make
government powerful and despotc. Hcnc
there has never been any real change in tn
system 10y which the nation is governed. AM
the working out Of the institutions SO far as III
administrative machine goes. remains the sam
ms in imperial days. The rule OF Monsieu
Theirs was far more personal and indopendeu
t than that of the Emperor Napoleon. II Marsha
B MacMahon has allowed himself to be trans
formed into a puppet, 1t was because he Ia
been unable TO keep tho personal power whic
I Monsieur THEIRS exercised from slipping int
the hands Of Monsieur Gnmbetta. who is mo-
. the personal ruler Of Franco through his In
! strumcnts-Duiauroa and Waddington. 1t is n,
e likely that Gambetta. should he be forced int
e ! tina prps ilaptfal chair xrou1d nh - IA