, 1880-12-25

believe that the system would not ultimate
ly exclude great Municipalities f,om poll.
tics. 1t did not do so when first tried, but
it was tried in a time of great danger, when
the Committees were very new, and par
ties were doubtful of their own strengtht
and there was no time for the scheme to
harden, or become debased. It's natural
result ia that w~ire-pullers should prepare
lists, that they should regard obedience as
the first OF qualifications, and that they
should omit from their lists all who might
DO suspected OF individuality, or who had
become known enough to arouse strong
animosities. The American President 10
very rarely, except by accident, the aelest
man in the Union. Admitting, as we
should do, that French tolerance for hum.
drum candidates is much less than English
or American tolerance, We should still
expect o gradual but certain deterioration
in the capacity and independence Of the
Chamber, which would slowly be filled
with men whom the Whips of the parties
could praise as "pertectlv SAFE"
On the other hand, the advocates OF the
ScrNtin de liSte have very strong arguments
to adduoe. They say the FIRST necessity TOR
France is to enable the electors to resist the
pressure OF personal and official and local in.
f~usnces. They think the rloh too strong, and
the Projects and their subordinates too strong,
and popular Clerics too strong, and even local
a~gitators too strong, and they believe the
election by list will ~paralyse them all. The
electors called on TO vote entire lists will vote
on political or party grounds alone. and will
not be moved by fear Of individuals, or listen
- khA tlHk N~A had MnnhhnN %
make little difference in a Chamber of 600.
They say also that eminent men OF the right
colour will be more certain OF election than
ever, for The Committee OF selection will not
be daunted by their local obscuri.y, or their
want Of influence in the reimbursement. or
their want OF money. The Committee must
frame for each department the list which will
go down. best, and the best list will be that
which has the most attractive names. Indeed,
thew apprehend that q few names, like M.
Olemenoeau, and NJ. do Nun, may be found
recorded in too many lists, so forcing bye
elections. They consider that the regional
difficulty will always exist, and will not be
intensified by the change; while they hold
that 1t is expedient that Paris, being In the
main Extremist, should return an Extremist
representation. The minority may be disfran-
obised, bu. then the object of representation,
as they contend, is to disfranchiss minorities.
Above all they hold that the first necessity OF
France is to. obtain q Chamber In which the
maio rity shall be great, %resolute, and consis.
tent. shall attend to general and not sectional
interests, and shall d%eterminedly support Q
determined and progressive Government.
Thew conceive they will obtain this result from
the scrutin de liste, will psraIyse the 'groups,".
and will enable the dominant part to axe gfsat
measures fearlessly. That they have reason for
the last thought they say, 10 proved by tne con-
duct OF the present Chamber itself, which 10
elected by reimbursement, and In which Oil
branches of the Right srs being aided by all
Aha members who rely on local or petty
interests for their seats to throw out the pro-
possl. The opponents know, it 10 argued,
how uhomogeneous'' the new Chamber will
he. and are afraid it will not contain them.
This. the election of q Chamber in which
majority and minority shall be alike fairly
Uniform. and the minority, therefore, per-
maneptlv powerless until the dissolution, 10
the true object Of the Bill, and the one for
which M. Gambetta, quitting his usual reserve
viii. Il Ia believed. give it all the support OF
his eloouepce and bis influence in the coun'
try.
for We ace how very difficult steady admtnlstra-
tion in France tends to become. The legisla-
tive mower. and the rsfore the controlling pow
ar. rests with the Chamber, and the Chamber,
beino nearly exempt from the oh snoe of q penal
dissolution, splits by degrees into groups,
which combine, and separate, and recon pine'
until steady government becomes almost im-
1T --1r chnwa thu ImA