Morning journal and courier., 1881-08-31
oUEER FRENCH CUsT0M.

Among the interesting concomitants of @ political campaign in France are the plat forms set forth by different candidates on great printed posters of various colors. The issuing of these posters is a custom which
 was introduced during the empire. Then,
 says the Paris correspondent of the New
 York 1Inses first did Paris and the Prov inces learn of M. Gsgne, the ''archi- human candidate, propagator of philanthropophagy
 or the manducation of man by man '' of M
 Berton, who more modestly entitled himself the Candidate of humanity" and of that
 other legendary type, M. Tapou-Fougas,
 whose appeal to the electors of Clermont- Ferrand on an immense red bill, surmounted
 his arrns-gave the following profession of
 faith: 'Give me two orphans, with good
 references, and I will undertake to feed,
 clothe and educate them at my own expense,
 and, finally, present them to the legislative
 body, saying: Behold two infants of An
 vergne who owe their we'll being to me! If I have not been otherwise useful to my fel- low-citizens, they at lest can testify to my good intentions This, electors of Cler- mont, is what mean to do if you make me your Deputy!"
 The recent campaign waS prolific of posters, and some of them were odd. person named Franck declared that the aim of his political career would be to prevent any com mercial establishment fsom selling articles without analogy between them, which, he de- clared, is the radical vice of modern society. This individual looks upon the Louvre and the Bon Marche as vampires who offer the frightful per spective [sicI of seeing Paris soon filled with colossal dens of hetair9 who, with aprons around their waists, will serve refreshments to all who are hungered or athirst." Citi- zen Pierron, describing himself as Socialist shoemaker" on bills of deep crimson, asked for the 'fexpurgation of Paris of landlords and the division of their property among pIoletarians." Jacques Balmier issuod the following address: "Electors: My grand- father was notary public in Picardy, my father was draper in the Rue de Sentier; sell industrial machines. Such a variety of trades ought to plead in my favor! Add to the above that am 45 years of age, that I bring up my children to respect the prfnci- ples of mercantile honesty and enjoy excel lent health" Louise Michel, the Communist came boldly forward with circular for which she charged ten cents a copy and in which she demanded s'That the Depu- ties shall be paid, like other workmen, twelve cents an hour the suppression of marriage ana of that curse of civilization mothers-in- law; tue diffusion of healthy literature, such as that Of which M. Zola furnishes the type.' Finally, the eandidature of one William Pitou in opposition to M. Gambetta-''w whom ex- pect to discomdit by an extraordinary inven- ton which I sh all reveal at the proper mo- ment''
 Of course many of these posters are noth- ing but mystifcations. But some of them, and those not the least absurd, are issued in sober earnest, either because the candidate and his friends fancy that there is g chance, or because the partisans of serious candi- dates have got them up to split the vote and make necessary a second ballot. It is queer custom.