New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-10
MINISTRY AND CHAMBERS.

! MINISTRY And CHANBERS
The most helpless and inefficient Ministry
| known in France since tue downfall of the
Empire confronted the Chambers yesterday, in
its first struggle for existence. When it was
formed at the close of the last session, the
| Boulevard wits amused themselves by invent
| ing synonyms for its inherent weakness and
paipabe mediocritY "A vacation Ministry p
| grimly suggested NJ. Clemenceau; "A proyis-
ional Cabinet" said another; "A Ministry
without men, ideas or phrases" sneered one
of the bitterest Republican journals. On all
sides it was conceded that the Ministry could
not last a week if the Chambers were to remain
| in session. Headed by Life Senator who had
evrnced only ordinary talent in public life. and
made up of under-secretaries and WORKOUT
functionares, it represented the political deg
radiation of the Premiership and the fallen
estate of Cabinet government in France. Now
that the vacation has ended, it can no longer
remain idle. 1t must attempt to act. 1t must
face the Chambers and announce its pro-
gramme. 1t must ut least revise the phrases of
previous Ministers, even if lacks courage and
ability to define policy of its own
Apparently the Duclcrc Ministry has only
slender chance of holding its ground. The
Premier does not represent the Opposition
which overturned the Ministry Of NJ. de Frey
cinet by an overwhelming majority. With only
two exceptions the members of the new Minis
try stand for the small minority which cast sew
enty-fiye votes for the previous Government
in the critical division. Whao new blood
there is comes from the Gambettst faction,
which was signalTy defeated when its leader
went down at the opening OF the year NJ.
DuclerC is a Premier without political influ
ence President Crew cannot give him ei1ec
tive support because he secretly fayOrs the re-
turn of NJ. do Freycinet to Office. VI. Gam
beta, with two minor followers in the Cabinet,
il vigorously opposing him. VI. Cemenceau,
upon whose oratorical aid NJ. de Freycinet de-
pended, blunty informed the lower Chamber
when the list Of new Ministers was gazetted
that Cabinet which represented only small
minority could possess no political authority.
With the heads of the groups against him, a
Premier of ordinary talent can scarcely expect
to retain even the nominal leadership, for the
Premiership long ago ceased to imply actual
political ascendancy. Apparently the most that
he can hope for is that he may be tolerated for
a season as a matter of convenience, until he
can give place to Il successor without exposing
himself to ridicule as vacation Premier"
who reires from Office as soon as the serious
work of the legislative session begins.
Experience however. has taught every close
observer of recent events in French public life
that it is never safe to assume that what seems
most probable will actually happen. The
speedy overturn of Ministry inherently weak
L; Il 4: a. i
at the first glance to be inevitable. Yet that
Ministry may remain in Office until a new
Chamber is elected. What seems grossly I'M
probable may be found after mature reflection
to be the natural consequence of the most no.
tceable tendencies IN the constitutional history
of the Republic. The decline in the personal
influence of the Premier and the collective
authority of the Ministry is not a startling sur
prise Events have long been moving in that
direction. The Premiership, planted originally
by IA Bourbon king, and during the Oreanst !
reign nurtured and trained in accordance
with English presidents, has dropped and |
spinded under the Republic us if it had no
root in French soil. The recent policy Of the |
The aim of the Deputies has been to diminish (
of political influence, to make him less of a |
public parsonage, and to dismiss him whenever |
il is inconvenent to support him. They would /
have the Premier something better than a legis- |
lativc lackey, but nothing better than a head |
clerk who can be discharged at their pleasure. !
The Ministers, too, they would reduce to the |
rank of spublic functionares controlled by leg |
slatye committees and disciplined without the .
of a political crisis The prece- /
dent has not yet been established that Minis .
ter can be forced to resign through the rcjec- /
ton of a special measure for which he NAV he .
held responsible, but the Deputies have made .
repeated attempts to avoid general Mniste-
rial upheaval in this way. The Ducerc Minis
try may be willing to sacrifice individual men,
bers and sanction this usage. From their very
helpessness aud inetliclency they may satisfy /
the requirements of Parliament which is SO
intent upon maintaining its own ascenGancy, |
not only i'll Presidential elections and legisla- /
ton, but in all departments of administration, /
that Ministry OF clerks is welcomed as an |
ideal Cabinet.
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as.N Al.