New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-30
THE NEXT STIR ~ FRANCE.

NJ. GamhCtta's success in forcing the Amnesty
bill through the Chamber Of Deputies, q few
DAYS afte1 the Ministry had declared that such
a result would be public misfortune, VIII
probably tempt him to rcappear as an advocate
of the Sciuun dc Lste. NJ Ferry did not re-
ouire much persuasion to be induced to with.
draw his designations and everything Is now
going smoothly so far as his administration Is
concerned bnr The duIlest observer pelcelVcS
that The recent compromise Is only hollow
truce. and that hOStilites are likely to be re-
sumcd at any moment. If Pr sldent CHEVY be
AZ GOOD as his word, another Ministerial up
hcaval will make tie dissolution of the Cham
Der the alternative OF n. Gambetta's refusal to
form new Cabinet and 10 conduct the admin
.stgation. 10 accept the responsibilities of
Office and to face the groups If the Left wOuld
be 10 squandcr the wealth OF his political re-
sources. Ii is plain that VI. Gambetta will re-
main where he is and advise NJ. Grevy TO dis
solve the Chamber. Meanwhile he will keep
the peace until the arrangements are completed
for general election on a new basis. New
electoral laws have already been laid before the
lower Chamber, AMI it is extremely probable
that he will take leading part in securing
lneIl passage. All appear 10 li' tohHil1 NOdu
naturally follow fundamental change in The
electoral law.
1t would be a mistake, however, to assume, a.
is too often DONE that the establishment of the
Scrutn de Liste would be a personal triumph.
When the WALTON Constitution was adopted, all
the Republicans opposed the Scruun dArron-
basement, and finally accepted it only because
they could not do anything else. The Sciutin
de Liste was as essential an element OF Repub
lican policy as the return to Paris. 1t has not
been maze party question simply because
legislative body which DEGREES Il change in the
law by which 1t was itself elected virtually
orders its own dissolution, and the Chamber has
not been willing to admit that its usefulness is
ended. Nevertheless there has been a tact I'M
Outstanding ever since the Republicans gained
control of both chambers and elected their
President, that the next Chamber must be
chosen by the ScIuln de Llste, or a system OF
department elections which renders personal
choice Of representatives impossible and forces
a voter to accept list of candidates made out
by the managers of his party. The passage of
the law will be the logical development OF
party policy and not personal triumph.
II would be even more rash to suppose that
NJ. Gambetta Is secretly plotting anything like
an irregular plebiscte. His enemies at home
and the English critics have assumed that he
would make "a great speech in favor of the
Scrutin die Liste, and under the new system of
voting allow his name TO stand at the head Of
the Republican ticket in a majority OF the de-
partments. In this way, it has been urged, he
would bring his name before the country rs the
leading candidate for the Presidential success
sion. But lie is that already. Ills ascendancy
is so great that it scarcely seems necessary for
him to resort to the Scratn de Llste III order
TO concentrate public feeling IN ms favor.