New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-07
POLITICAL FORCES IN FRANCE

M. de Frrycinet Is the sixteenth FRENCH
Premier who has held the Premiership
since the downfall of NJ Theirs in May.
1873. The first President of the Reoub-
lie vas bis own Premier and he resigned when
the Chamber of Deputies gave him hostile
vote. 1t was after his overthrow that the Cabl-
net came 10 have a recognized head known as
the Premier. In the course OF nearly fourteen
wears which have followed Marshal Mac
Mahcn's election to the Presidency there have
been sixteen Premers and nineteen Cabinets.
This is an average of a new Cabinet every
eight months. Indeed, if all the occasions on
which Cabinets were remOdelled were taken
into the account the average term would be re-
duced to six m0nths BY any method of reck-
oning the Premiership is shown to b. the II ost
M stable of French institutions. NJ. de Frey
cinet and VI. Ferry have been the most success
fal Premiers in the maintenance of their
authority, but their terms of office have never,
with one exception, exceeded year. VI. Gam
BETA, the strongest man in France, could not
retain Office more than sey enty days NJ. BIS
500, who succeeded him as President OF the
Chamber and Was generally credited with the
possession of great administrative qualities,
proved a signal failure IA sOOn as he was
AS rous n its effects upon political regulations
in France Hardly an available candidate Tor
the succession now survives who has not been
tried anu found wanting.
This decline of the Premiership would be
startling evidence of the Instability OF repubh-
can institutions if there were not correspond
ing increase in the political authority OF the
Presidents office. NJ Theirs as the first Pres-
dent was at the mercy of hostile combinations
Of legislative factions. The third President
has been elected and reelected for a cOnstItu-
tlOnal term and his authority cannot be i'm
perilled by Hostile votes in the Chambers.
dozen Cabinets may rise and fall during his
seven years term, but he himself is secured
against factlona strife and political intrigue.
When the third President - compared with
either the first or the second Of his predecessors
The improvement Of his political position and
the increase of bis authority are found to be
very great. Ii the Deputies had been able u
discipline and degia the President as they
have sixteen Premers in succession, they
would have succeeded IN fatally impalring the
stability of republican institutions. AS it is,
the Presidency has increased as the Premier
ship has decreased.
President Grevy has always been sturdy
champion of the doctrine of the political
2remacy of the Legislature. So long gs he lives
the Presidency will De what it il to-day-.n
oriice superior in power to the Premiership. but
with political functions undeveloped and
known. The time may be approaching when
under he pressure of au increasing reaclionary
minority that office will become the main bull
wark of republican institutions in France.
M; 4. tb
eventually come to the rescue Of the Cabinet
and release il from its present state OF depend
ence upon the popular Chamber in executive
adminisliat alton. That is, France may come to
have an American instead of an English Cabi-
net, just as she has an American President
instead of al English constitutional monarch.