Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-07-28
THE METEoRic BouLaNGER.

tnE mEiEUniS bUuLRNnEn.
a Sensation created Throughout All
France-now His Schemes were
Worked,
Paris, via Havre, July 26-Is General
Boulanger plotting coupe d'etat? The
Figaro has no doubt about it. In q
sensational article by E.. Lavaden, who
writes under the name of Phi de Grand
lieu; the Figaro yesterday warned the
country to prepare for pronunciamento
and gave minute details as to the gen.
erals ulterior object, which is summed
up IN the heading of the article, "Boul-
anger is for war." "That is the dream
of this restless, mysterious character"
says NJ. de Grandlieu. "What are we to
think Of all the schemes and ambitions
imputed to him every where? The peo-
pie instinctively seem to know that
some convnlsion is impending, some
surprise, some sudden event. ihe Dip
| lomatic organs show that this impress
sion universally prevails already. You
cannot open the newspapers or listen to
a conversation without being struck by
the same words as on the eve of abrupt
historic changes. Most of our min
listers have travelled good deal lately.
In all their sphere they have nothing
but threats againts the reaction, while
utterly .neglectipg the affair of the
country. Is not this" continued M. de
Grandlle, "a positive invitation to
ambitious men like General Boulanger?
Can we wonder much if he responds to
tho invitation? Ha has thought that
the famous psychological moment has
come, and just as in the kingdom of the
blind the one eyed man is king. He
has asked himself why he should not
become the chief of all the mediocrities
who surround him. He may think he is
not great enough for his role. Nothing
| indeed in his past may Justify the extra
| ordinary rise that his hatterers predict
| for him. But setting aside the fact that
one most always has illusions about
| ones own Importance, may he not
| boldly assume the 1ole because it is
abandoned to him, resolving to justify
| the undeseryed greatness he aspires to
| later?"
A prominent deputy the other day re-
marked, wagging his head lncredulously,
that the magnificent horse which the
general rode at the review ON the 14th of
iJuiy was not embarrassed from the
chariot of victory. This is true enough,
but may not an attempt be mGsae after
to accomplish what there was no
opportunity OF doing before, even
though it is always preferable that ones
deeds should be proved beforehand? |?
Have not nations been known to give
credit blindly to sham saviours who
ended in bankruptcy? We may treat
General BoulaDger, if We like. as o
charlatan or an adventurer, but for oil
that he is no fool. However induIgently
hs may Judge himself, he certainly has o
fine appreciation OF his means of action
and the necessities of the situation. He
has understood that France is
humiliated by seeing M. Prudhomme
at her head, wrapped in paragon 3
dressing gown. Accustomed to
glory in seeing herself reelected in a
chief capable of wearing sword, she
hungers for prince or, at the very least,
soldier. AS the nation loves glitter, he
has striven to dazzle the crowd, bnt
knows well enough that the mere glitter
of review will never be mistaken for 9
halo. He was told harshly enough the
other day that the people had no fear OF
o prestige built upon puffery, but
this was nc news to him. He knows il
is much more needed to tascinate the
France of Tollsaic, of Bovines, Rocrol
Austerlitz and Magenta. He knows
that, in cur carping, sceptical age, the
ancient oils of Rheims have lost theil
virtue and that victory alone will be ad
mitted as consecreation. He needed
: not to reflect much to understand thai
the only general who could keep his
. hold on France would be the one who
No. Ft1f frt, hn 40
yenge for Metz and Sedan. This then il
2 the idea hidden behind his bombastlt
exaggeration. This is the effect of hi!
Q posturing and plotting. Naturally, too
! ! the general does not hope to obtain hi
s end by succeeding M. Grevy, IN th'
2 regular course, as the president of tn,
q republic.
He knows as all know that no parlia
mentary majority would sanction such {
change. If he had any doubt on th'
5 subject, Nj. Ranc has notified him of th
. fact irrevocably, 80 tnat no illusion cal
= llnger in his mind. Then again, thougi
s he is ageing, tbe inmate OF the Eiyse
2 may last some time yet while the gen
z eral might not be able to balance himsel
long On his tight rope. He must there
Z fore act boldly, promptly, or he loses th
y game. There must be a new edition Q
! the fructidor. We are, perhaps, neare
:, to it than we imagine, but even o fructi
. dor would, to the general, be but ste
y toward his final aim. He means to &C
!. hieye the realization of his real end tina
!, is to say, war. This is not mere idl
:, speculation, it is q serious forecast
: based on surer information than that G
. official agencies like the Agepce Havel
Yes, the general wishes for war, and
am assured that this phrase has bae
uttered, that the new fructldor would b
RI il preface to a new Marengo. Gambett
1T dreamed the same dream and hoped
If realize it. By the same means, too, b
;, dreamed OF rising to power by wa
. He, too, while he was posturing on th
IS balconies, knew that though mount.
k, bank acting might be useful to build q
k. reputation and populalize his nam
b. if it could not consolidate DICTATORSHIP
,e Windy talk could not stand for glor,
and but for tue mysterious bullet of tt
o. Vile d Away, who can tell into whi
8: disasters the Carnot of d'
8; feat might have plunged us? Eh biel
military Gambetta, q soldier advel
lis turer is trying to play the same gam
or Public opinion is warned. Let the n
ul tional security be looked to, let us mea
ne ure the whole consequence Of the even
which may surprise us. There is onl
90 one obscure point in this very Gle
n. project, one hidden card in this evideI
de game, namely, M. Clemenceau. Nothin
in can be prepared or attempted withoI