New-York tribune., 1883-11-04
FRENCH POLITICS.
NJ FERRYs SPEECHES AT RoUEN AND
HAYRE.

ware meant to keep things quiet They nave han
the effect Of doing Just the contrary In one oil MS
barangnes he said that he for Republican union
apart from the irreconcilables by which as he sub
seouently explained, he meant the Radicals ms
has caused a tremendous buzz in the political hVe,
of nature which shows the literary and academieal
habits of thought of the middle-class part oil the
nation. There has been newspaper controversy
ON the subject "A great journalistic question tuIiS
upon the sort of which NJ. Jules Ferry had IN MS
head in saving the word union. IT It was capitai
IT, why then he meant the Gambettist group, wmch
forms l. Union R6publcaine in the Chamber
oronp by the by that is chiefly represented IN the
Cabinet If, on the contrary, 1t was small H. he
meant the union of the lukewarm and semi-Orlean-
ist part of the Chamber against all the more ad-
yanced sections. La R6pabtiqae Franpdise has dem
onstrated in its pedagogic style that NJ Ferry must
have had big u in his head for that if he had
not he would have thrown down the gauntlet to the
Gambettists. which he surely never meant to DO
The Boulevard gazettes and the Radical press go IN
for the little H. because they both are charltaole
enough to assume that NJ. Jules Ferry Is not
Republican either in habits, instincts OF conNC-
tons and would therefore like to Ostracne the hau
icas of all shades weld together all the latent anu
potent Philippists and secure for hmsen uhuel WI
hereditary King a splendid and permanent posl'ioh'
since tbe ouarrel in Gulliver's Travels" between
bIn-pnUlanS
beep nothing TO compare with the fight about the
major or the minor II which NJ. Jules Ferry had in
his head when he was perorating at Havre
The Premier had not an agreeable tour He might
have had if he had gone to Havre without visiting
Rouen. or vice versa. But it would be as easy TO
establish the quadrature of the circle as to curry
favor with the Rouennais without veXing the Hav-
rails OF 10 get in with the latter without bringing
the former down upon ones-sef in the character OF
bitter enemies. Havre wants to he the New-1ork
of the French side of the English Channel, or as
they call il here, Ia ManChe. Rouen wants I" DE 70
the Seine what London is to the Thames. But TO
be this it would he necessary for the state 10 exc
cute colossal engineering works which woud di-
inisb the value of the river at its mouth for mar
bor purpoSeS The HavTais want their city TO DE
made the seat of Prefecture The RoucnnalS want
their town to remain the capital OF lower NOT
mandy. There are advantages TO which they are
not insensible in having a Prefect in Rouen ana
only Prefect in the seaport town dedicated to our
Lady of Mercy and founded by King francis l.
When Gambetta two years ago, was proceeding on
his ill-omcned excursion along the lower Seine lie
wanted to Slip quietly through Rouen and only
speak there as he was returning nome. but 'hC
Mayor and Civic Council awaited him in the railway
depot. and wanted to insist on his making promises
which would not have been to the taste of the Hav
rails He was almost treated rudely when ne
showed determination not to comply. Inc Mayor
of Havre. NJ Siegfried. was an AlSatian ana an
old friend Of the lamented orator, in compliment
10 whom he had got up an ovation at time Wheh
Gambetta was under clOud. The eX-Dictat"r was
deeply moved by his reception, and made b"Id 70
say that if he ever became head OF the Government
he would show how deeply grateful he was to
Uavre II was on this occasion that lac trst tackled
round conscryative-wise, in public speech III
l. hat a
tion Il ny n pas de question sOciae). Segtred IS
believe Jew. He sets up TO be an ardent patriot.
There is n great deal of money and honor to he
GAINED by Israelites from AsaCe in Tendlng their
garments in public putting ashes on their heads
and refusing to be cOmfOrted so long as ffusHah
soldiers trample down victors their native soil
Antonio the Deputy of Metz with whom Bismarck
is cutting up rough is patriot OF the rentgalmehtS
and saCkclOth-and-asbes style. Seglrlcd, OeheVe'
has speculated in marshy land, IN which he wants
docks 10 be created. and is connected with those
Bourse wire-pullers who have drawn France Ton
ouin and MadagaScar-warls. The Rouennais are
pure-blooded NOrmans They are very money-mak-
ing and onterprising, but not prone to Stock EX-
change financing Siegfried has therefore a great
mil ON Them He entertained Gambetta two
wears ago at an intimate d6euner, and last Sunday NJ
Jules Ferry. painting by Henncr OF AiSace IN
bondage hangs in his dining-rOOm and its frame is
covered with Grape. When the eX-DctatOr OF Tours
was his guest he apolOgzed for any object III the
room being in mourning. Gambetta replied thst he
appreciated the black drapery round the painting
and assured NJ Siegfried that if he was ambitious of
again ascending to the highest attitudes of official
life il was because he longed to release the captive
The picture is as it was then dare say that
nj Ferry's attention was called to the Grape that
surrounds it, and that he talked also in patriotic
strain. but impored his host not to breathe word
Of what he said TO any journalist.
lido not see what aim NJ. Ferry could have had in
view in visiting Normandy. Although his speeches
were long there was not much in them, and what
little there was would have been better left unSad.
He has not united but divided more than ever the
different groups of the Republican party by means
az who's, votes the work of Government must be
carried on 1t is all nonsense TO pretend that 1t Is
only lukewarm mediOcrites who can be reformers,
Was Moses lukewarm when he slew the Egyptian
for striking the Hebrews Z And yet it was when he
was red handed after the accomplishment of that
act of energy that he chosen TO lead the Israel
ties on, of Egypt and TO weld them into nation.
If the Intrdesgeants and the Radicals did not expose
official misdeeds do not know who would. Ger
tainly not the moderate Temps and D<tdts. Ii is a
good thing TO he made aware of the antecedentS OF
General Campenon, of the motives which mpeed
the Opportunists to promote the 1nnis Ionquin ana
MADAGASCAR campaigns, and of the exact situation
of the budget 1t is also well that We should be en-
lghtencd concerning the pecunaTy interest which
the King of Spain and his courtiers have IN not
going to war with France. The Radicals speak "i
universal suffrage to mechanics artisans and
simple workmen. They have 20 some extent to ad-
dress these men in their language and To put thCr
cases i'm the strongest forms, because people who
work ten or twelve hours day with their hands to
live have not time to listen TO drawn-out articles.
Now and then see reckless accusations But
save in ROchefOrt's paper they are the exception
and not the rule. Clemenccau is very careful TO
sift evidence whom he to base on II an attack
on an adygrsaTy. And yet believe that VI; Ferry
talked rather AT him than at the editor of the IN
translucent Many'peTsOns sorry for this because
they really like and esteem NJ. Jules Ferry, who has
in him the stuff of great administrator but not of
a tirst-claSs statesman. lie has done better than