Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-20
THE RADICAL POLICY.

have adopted programme, the more I'M
portant parts of which call for revision
of the Constitution, three years uni
versal military service, the separation OF
Church and State, and the abandonment
of remote expeditions. The gravest OF the
four measures of the Radical programme
is the proposed revision Of theConstltutlon'
ever a dangerous undertaking in France.
There are so many factions in France,
powerful and active, that are opposed to
the Republic, that it is never safe to at
tempt any experiments. The greatest
trial to which the Republic has yet been
put was the occasion when President Mac
Mahon found that the Chambers We're
not to be trihed with, and they gave
him the famous alternative of either
resigning or submitting. Since M.
Jules Greyy has been President, no
such crisis has arisen. The nearest to one
was when Leon Gambetta was asked to
form a new Cabinet, his fiery soul being
q constant menace to the Church and to
peace with Germany. Although the idol
of the people he was compelled to resign,
and even his short leadership in office
did not show him to be man fitted for
the calm administration of affairs. Had
it not been for the accident which
caused his death, some day he would
haye been a greater power than he was
at the close of the war OF II. Since
his death France has been called "the
unmounted Bucephalus." AS a leader of
the Radicals no one could surpass Glenn
enceau, but as a leader of all factions that
are not monarchist no one takes Gambet-
ta's place. He wished to modify the
Constitution, but did not succeed.
The next measure in the new pro-
gramme is a three years military service
for all. AT present the law says that
"eyery Frenchman not declared unfit for
military service may be called upon, from
the age of twenty to that of forty,
to enter the active army or the
reserves" The yearly contingent is
divided into two categories, the first one
serving three years with the colors and
two years in the reserve, and the second
only in the active army. The proposed
change is an important one. The next
measure, and perhaps the most important
of all, is the separation of Church and
State. In France the Church has always
played a most conspicuous part. If Louis
XI could say, "The State, it is l." the
Church in France, initiating his style,
could have equally said, The State is the
King, but we are their masters. Over the
faithful in France the Church has rs much
sway as ever, but those over whom she
does not have sway, they are her
enemies, and her active, bitter enemies.
France paid to various denominations in
1884, according to the budget for that
year, so, 795, ,223 francs, no inconsiderable
sum. OF this amount the Roman Cath
olic prelates and clergy received Al .614,-
923 francs. Roman Catholic churches,
seminaries and the like, 7,O51 900. The
balance was divided among Protestants,
Jews and Mussulmen. Against the
Roman Catholics then is the blow at the
union of Church and State aimed. 1t is
very doubtful whether the Radicals can
accomplish this part of their programme,
although it is worthy of success. A few
years ago, when various religious orders
were expelled from France, it was thought
there would be much trouble when the
time for their departure came, but there
was none, and when the gems d'armes
went to Rue Veaugirard at the appointed
time to see that the prescribed brothers
took their departure, there was no one in
the rue save themselves and the depart
ing priests. The expulsion of an obnoX-
ious religious orders had failed to be q
thing of any interest save to the police
and the prescribed. This fact may
give the Radicals encouragement The
last measure on the programme is one
that calls for a cessation of disastrous
and expensive expeditions to remote
countries. Empire extending over the
world has been dream with France for
many, many years. When Napoleon
was in Egypt, with the pyramids looking
down upon him, he fOndly dreamed that
it was the beginning of French empire
in the East. The beginning was the end,
and its only result was black disaster.
colonists, neither in America, whether in
Canada or in Louisiana, nor else
where. Algiers is nought but a
military station in Africa Colonization
seems inconsistent with the genius of the
race. Part of the expeditions undertaken
of late by France have been with a view
to establishing colonies, and none have
been successful. The Tonquin affair is
still fresh in the memory OF all. From
that expedition France reaped nothing
but disaster and doubtful glory. 1t would
almost seem that France must always
have foreign war or domestic revolu-
ton to utilize her surplus military spirit.
On the whole the Radical programme
is very good one, and one that if carried
out should give the French many needed
reforms. 1t is recognition of the fact
that Frances strength lies in France, and
not somewhere else.
SOCIAL STANDING.
Since President Cleveland has been
the Chief Magistrate of the nation he has