New-York tribune., 1888-04-19

abandoned, being warned by recent elections
that the Opportunists are steadily losing ground
with the constituencies, and beng animated
also by patriotic instinct in the presence OF
impending danger TO the State. NJ. Floque'
when the Chambers meet to-day VIII have
the positive assurance of NJ. Ferry's support
in any measures which he may adopt against the
Boulanger movement. Apparently new MIN
isterial crisis has been averted.
If this forecast bo correct, Nj. Floquet VIII
be allowed to proceed with the Radical pro-
gramme and General Boulanger will be granted
an early opportunity of showing how many
supnorters he can recruit in the Chamber for his
revision scheme. The Ministerial policy has
been vaguely outlined in the Premiers opening
speecb and points in the direction of final
separation OF Church and State, with a law for
the regulation Of religious associations as an
indispensable preliminary. AS the new FL
nance Minister was one Of Felix Pyats most
active supporters in Narseilles, the Socialists
are expectinp him to mount. some of their hob
bies before he has been long in Office. NJ.
Floouet stands committed by his speeches in the
past to such extreme measures as the abolitlon
of the Senate, the granting of absolute homo
rule for Paris and the introduction of pro-
gressive income-tax. Unless the Opportunists'
with the aid of the Reactionary group, can sue
ceed in defeating him, he will open the way
for Constitutional revision by enacting the Sc
ries OF drastic measures over which NJ. Clemen-
ceau has been brooding for many years. One
is as advanced Radical as the other and each
has the courage of his convictions
With this prospect before the country 1t is not
to be wondered at that so conservative De-
par.ment as the North, where the Republicans
are ordinarily defeated in elections, has suddenly
gone mad over General Boulanger The clergy
bave been working for him in their parishes; the
Bonapartists and Royalists have found in his
election common cause; and the Radical agl-
tators have been shouting for him with one con-
sent With this amazing combination OF priests
reactionary intriguers, Radical Hotspurs and
Socialists in his favor, it is not strange that his
majority should have been unprecedented. bis
name served the purposes Of diverse groups OF
malcontcnts who want TO have crisis in the
present Parliamentary system brought on with
out delay His election cry, "rcvision and dis
solution" sufficed to rally this motley assem-
blaee of discontented Frenchmen in Depart
mcnt where attachment to Republican institu-
tions has been lukewarm for decade; but it
will not be likely to prove as useful to him in
the Chamber of Deputies. His fellow repre-
sentatives will not have the same interest in the
dissolution of Parliament, and they will require
him to state the details of his scheme of Con-
sttutonal revision before they accept his leader
ship. General Boulanger may be the Catiline
whom NJ Ferry denouncesj or he may be the
General Monk whom the Royalists and Impe-
riaiss are prepared to hail with loud acclaim;
but whether intriguer, charlatan or statesman he
cannot remain "a mystery man" in the Cham
bor He must speedily disclose his policy and
purposes, and when he does that he can scarcely
fail to ALLEVIATE powerful factions which are now
supporting him. Boulangerism will probably
prove only transitory furry in the political
life of France. If NJ. Ferry can be prevailed
upon to grant NJ. Floquet six-months' lease OF
power this high-colored bubble of a military
dictatorship will vanish in the air.