The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-19

the Bourbons. He is a soldier who worked
himself up from the subaltern's position
which he filed in Mexico under Macmillan
to high command In France, which he lost
by disobedience to the command of the Min
lister of War. Yet he is no doubt thorough
soldier, perfectly brave, master of his pro-
fession, popular with the lower ranks of the
army and possessing the rare power of in
gratiatiDg himself with interiors and superb
ors alike. But in the duel that resulted from
his attempt to change the constitution he
was wounded by little lawyer from the
provinces, most unheroic accident for
great soldier. But even as a soldier, be has
said nothing definite about war, talking only
vaguely about the nation in arms, the honor
of the flag, etc. Here, then, is a popular
leader without any definite civil or military
policy. More wonderful still: he is lacking,
too, the sympathy of the dominant senti-
ment OF Paris, and Paris is usually consid-
cred to be France In matters OF this sort.
An able Englishman who visited France
few weeks ago. wrote back to London pa
per very entertaining account of the posi-
ton held by Boulanger in Paris, the city
that would be expected to be the main cta-
del of man of such inexplicable and dra-
matte fortunes. I'm Paris ITSELF" writes
this traveller. "it Is difficult to take Nj. Bou-
LANCER seriously. On the boulevards, in the
cafes, in journals, in society, among politi-
clans Bouldngisme is huge joke. In
thousand different forms he appears as the
General of Comic Opera. Every morning
some fresh nickname is invented-the Grand
Elector, the Man of Providence, the Mahdi.
the Redeemer, the modern Jeanne dare,
Bodinguet the Fourth, George the First have
taken the place of the 'Music-hall Garibaldi.'
The kiosks are covered with caricatures of
Bouldnge (sic) and Boulangistes 1t is the
within of the hour; and, like Jumbo, the big
elephant, the Mikado. or Buffalo Bill, he
supplies matter for the songs, the jests, the
slang, and street humor of the day." All
this has happ aned to Boulanger in capital
where ridicule is supposed to kill; yet in
elections he has been candidate successive
ly in the most important departments, and
has been elected by the most astonishing
majorities rolled up by the most diverse in
terests. Bonapartsts who wanted to see the
Empire restored worked beside extreme rev
oluti0nists who abomiuated stability of gov
eminent; the Catholic priests ranged them
selves on the same side with Pere Hyacinthe,
who is dealing sturdy blows at the Catholic
church, witt NJ Naquet. the author of the
divorce law hated by Catholics, and with NJ.
Rochefurt, of whom the Catholics believe no
good. One bond, and one alone, binds all
these interests together They dislike the pres
cut form of government and want to see it go,
So they rally around Boulanger as the Ameri-
can Indians used to dance around a painted
war post before going on foray By some
inexplicable fortune he has become the en-
bodiment of the idea of change, the apostle
OF discomfort; and he has held this delicate
and anomalous position against all expecta-
ton aud against the powerful denunciation
and ridicule of the powers that be- in
France. So whatever conspires to increase
discomfort in France may be expected to
contribute to the prestige of Boulanger and
to the embarrassment Of the government
Had the French government been willing to
carry on the work the canal might undoubt-
eddy have been completed without loss to
the stockholders though 1t would have seri-
ously and unwisely increased the public
debt of France. But in France the govern
ment is looked to for all sorts of help, and
the stockholders and their friends will not
probably take the refusal of aid In the spirit
of patriots. And in turning from the gov
ernment they will probably turn to the quar-
ter where all other malcontents have turned
to Boulanporism