New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-04-01
TIE NEW CONFLICT IN FRANCE

TIE NEW CONFLICT IN FRANCE
NJ de Freycinet has been a. good as his
word. When the Education Act WAS before
the Senate, he gave warning of the conse-
qucnccs of an adverse vote on the Seventh
Article. He announced that the rejection of
the measure would justify the Government in
putting III force the existing laws which are fan
more severe. This was regarded "a an empty
menace, for the Seventh Article was heritage
from the previous Administration, winch he
was known to have accepted most unwillnely
1t was supposed that he referred to the exist
ing laws IN order to cover his retreat from mn
tcnallc ground which he had been forced to
defend. The threat, however, WAS repeated
when the Senatorial amendment was debated in
the lower Chamber. When asked what course
the G ,vrrnmcnt would take with regard TO
non authorized religious orders whose attitude
was public danger. he replied that the laws
against them would he enforced. a vote Of
confidence was passed at once by the concur
rent action of the groups of the Left The
PrcmicT's pledge has now been fulfilled The
DEGREES against the Jt suits and other unau-
thOrized congregations place the Government IN
accord with the majority of the popular Cham
Der.
This policy may be justified, in political
sense, on the ground Of necessity. The Pre-
ncr is not Il wcaklne like his predecessor, hut
II statesman OF real power but AZ he himself
bluntly told the Senators, situations are
stronger than men, and no Ministry cond have
lived twenty four hours in the Chamber had it
opposed the Seventh Article. The fact that
Legislative functions are exercised by two CO.
ordinate Chambers does not affect the snprrm-
acy of the lower House, where I'LL the great
battles of the Republic have hccn and are vet
to be fought. Restricted suffrage renders n
Liberal Senate more moderate than Liberal
Assembly, and its conservatism serves m cx-
ccllent purpose in Tcprcs sing the zeal Of the
more radical Chamber. But the centre of pol.
ilical power is the popular Assembly, whose
deliberations are directed by the genius of
Gambctta. Not only on supreme Orclsions |
when II President IL to he elected or the Con-
stimti0n revised, but in the gradual develop
Inent OF Republican ideas and institutions. the !
vitalizng energy comes from the Chamber of !
Deputies TIE Premier, who has taken with
linn into public life tlc instincts of IL practical
engineer, knows where to look for the source
of political power. He knows that IL Iura-
incDtary defeat in the Senate counts for little.
and that the resistance or even The indifference
of the lower Chamber TO his policy would be
fatal to HIM and to his Ministry. Accorlingy
without bringing forward any new measure or
Joining issue with the Senate i'll another debate
he has assumed the leadership Of the IDENTITIES
by enforcing the old laws for the expulsion of
the Jesuils and other unauthorized associoiious
from the county.
The ilrprcssibic conflict between Church
md State is thus to be opened anew in France
At a time when il il drawing to close in Ger
many. The artlclc which, with extreme wis
lon, the Senate rejected, would have closed
lie doors OF schools and scminaiips against re-
ieiOu, !Ordcrs that have had no legal standiup in
he country since their expulsion in the reign of
-OuiS XIV. The Government now puts i'm
Orce the laws as they stand, and thereby rcyiycs
he Old-timc methods CT religious persecution
nd intolerance. The associations of the .Jrsuits
re 10 bc dissolved, and their establishments.
cligiOus and cducatiOna closed within three
months; and all other unauthorized couprcDn- !
ions which neglect to make peace with the
Government are to he dissolved. More than ,
wcnty one ,Ouand members of various rc '
giouS orders are placed under ban, and cx $
Osed to LEGAL penalties. That these commu- 4
itIcS VIII HupHIli tHtH SUillcS 10 Inc evil |
uihorties for revision is grossly improbable $
OPPRESSION they will welcome, for they know =
hat 1t invariably reacts against itself The +
gent struggle in Germany has shown flat II
,lisious aud political power are directly pro- 5
lotcd by repression and Inolcrancr. +
The political aspects of the case, however. Il
fust not be overlooked. Under the Empire f.
lc cures and Jesuit teachers were the election 7
ring agents of the plGfcts, ard the alliance $
etween Napoleon III. and the Church was O
fensve as well as defensive In every polti- S
j crisis since the downfall Of tho Empire, the "
ctions Of reaction have had the active SUP I;
'rt Of tie clergy, especially of the Jcsuts. l.
rcnvillc Murray goes 80 far as to ascribc the [,
9Th of May to the intrigues Of two or three b
spiritual directors" and certainly tho .elcc. n
'Ds OF 1877, as tho Premier recently pointed NJ
IT, tuned IN great measure on ccricalisnl. tC