Smyrna times., 1888-04-18
AFTERNOON. APRIL 49, 1885,
The BOulanger Phenomenon.
THE DANGERS TO THE FRENCH RE-
PUBLIC.

The almost unprecedented success of
General Boulanger as a political can
didate gives him an exceptional posi-
tiOn in French public life, and, in view
of his past record and supposed pur-
poses, attracts to him a degree of at
tentiOn at home and abroad not enjoy
ed at present by any other French citi-
zen. His election to Dordogne sur
| prises everybody. He was not a can
didate. He attended no meetings and
| signed no programme. Yet he was
chosen by an overwhelming majority.
Under like circumstances he obtained
in Aisne and Aude, respectively, Il 900
and 5000 votes. If next Sunday in the
department of the North, where he
has formally declared himself candi-
date, majority should declare in his
] favor, his fortune would be greatly
! advanced. The NOrd " is the second
largest department in France, having
! about 100000 voters. At the last elec-
! ton it went sOlidly for the monarchist
candidates, giving them about 162, 900
votes each. Should Boulanger reverse
this majOrity-as is declared to be
likely-the feat could hardly fail to
produce profound impression every
where. Already-be the explanation
what it may-his popularity is beyond
dispute. If he goes into a shop thou
sands of people gather outside to await
and cheer his temperance. On the
streets and at the theatres the people
salute him with the greatest enthusi-
asm. The masses and a large proper
ton of the middle class appear to have
adopted him az an embodiment of their
aspirations for military renaissance.
1t is question, however, whether there
is in the man enough of talent, force
and purpose to justify the high esti-
mate undoubtedly made of him by a
large portion of the French people. 1t
is, perhaps, indisputable that he is a
good fighter; he bears on his body the
scars of six wounds received in battle.
1t is conceded also that he proved him
self capable and energetic admins
traitor of the war Office, having done
for the French army what Mcclellan
did, as an organizer, for the army of
the Potomac in 1861. But it does not
appear clear that he is a great general
"a second Napoleon, for instance. If
he has capabilities for the command Of
nifty to demonstrate the fact. His
present popularity is to a great extent
attributable to the bungling of his
| political enemies. The Tirard ministry
made martyr of him, treating him
with unwise severity on account of his
sympathy with the opposition. Had
M. Tirard been less impressed with
the " BOulanger March y and other like
political belongings of the General, it is
not unlikely that the latter would have
subsided after a short while into the
obscurity that always awaits the dema-
gogue. That he is a demagogue, or is
willing to resort to the arts of one, is
indicated in a number of his recent
proceedings. As for his politics, he
declares for a dissolution of the pres
ent Chamber of Deputies and a revision
of the constitution. These appear to
be the only questions of internal policy
upon which he has expressed opinions.
lie acts with the the radical republicans
but he stops very far short of socialism.
The socialists are in fact his bitterest
enemies. As respects foreign policy,
he stands for the idea of revenge upon
Germany, and this perhaps as much as
anything else, is the secret of his popu-
larity with the masses. His eminence
in this role of avenger is a token of
danger for the republic. If the time
has arrived for the collapse of the re-
public, its overthrow might be commit
ted to wOrthier hands.-BGLtimOr Sun.