New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-21
M. FLOQUET'S DECREE.
THE BURDENS IT IMPOSES ON FOREIGNERS
IN FRANCE


Snon THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
Paris, October D.
The decree Of NJ. Floquet against the foreigners,
infcting on them the nuisance OF establishing their
identity. is on the face of it blunder. IL is
intended 10 prepare for some Interior measure,
polLtax probably, or, in case Of war with Germany
and Italy, wholesale turning of Italians and
Germans out of France When the German I'm
peror signed the Alsacc-Lorrane passport decree
there was fine excuse for proceeding against the
Germans on the score OF reciprocity in Immature
But why, TO them, Spaniards, English
men, Americans, and Scandinavian who are on
the whole amicaby disposed toward the French
Republic? The measure is an ill-digested one, ana
viii be productive of any amount OF petty Tor
mcnt 10 the strangers settled here. They must
have not only pas ports, but papers OF all klnus
showing who their fathers and mothers WERE
where they were born and when. what PROFESSIONS
they followed at home, and, in short as many
details as il they were going before french
Mayor TO get banns Of marriage published
There is for Paris only official al the Min
istry OF the Interior-a Jew of foreign BIRTH Out
naturalizcd one May-to take these declarations
and give receipts for them. About 100000 peo-
pe come within the action OF the decree, and they
have only a month TO register themselves The
fees to consus will be- in the aggregate, gigantic
Each paper must have a consular stamp There
is however this loop-hoe: Strangers coming as
travellers and without intention Of establishing
domicle or adopting business, are not Obliged
TO comply with the regulation The Government
cannot Judge Of your intention from day TO day, or
from week TO week The decree, it would appear
does not apply 10 women. But 1t is SO clumsy
and ungrammatical that this is not established
on the face of it
do not believe that the decree is legal. No
Judge would pass penal sentence were IT only
10 impose fine of five francs for non-obedience
of simple decree. There is the Article Al OF
the Penal Code which condemns to fine any
rnisdemcanor taking the form of breach of rules
legally made by the administrative authority
But is the decree legal? Ii seems not. Foreign
ers have right under commercial and other
treaties to come here TO trade without let or
hindrance. II foreigners combine to defy the de-
cree, and their Governments stand by them,
do not see how they can be expelled. Should
this be done, the Cabinet will be in an awkward
fix. The rccalcitIants oncs, cannot am satls-
fed, be prosecuted in virtue of Article al
since il is the decree which establishes the penalty
French Judges no doubt, scrvile. But II they
felt that able lawyers were engaged by foreign
Governments to Try conclusions with them it
might impel them to assume dignity that they
DO not feel, and 10 refuse TO sentence in virtue
Of decree legislation.
The want of moral courage betrayed ny the
Cabinet in Jumping all foreigners together causes
General Boulangcr to rcjoicc-though the members
of the Cabinet in defending themselves, say that
the measure was suggested by him when he was
member of the last De Frcycinet Ministry. Then
the reprisalS TO which they expose themselves
The manager of the Concordia Theatre IN Berlin
has Just forced Mile. Chac TO cancel her engage
ment on the ground that the Berlin public are
cd
French songs and French songstresscs. II re-
prisals had been taken by France against Germany
when the Emperor Frederick signed his passport
decree, nothing could have boon said, and the
greater part Of the world would have excused the
French Government But there isn't now g
single nation largely represented in Paris which
sympathizes with the French in resentng the in
science OF the BcrnerS rs shown In the incident
have lust named Mile Chaos place was given
10 a Prussian singer. who met with a tremendous
welcome as she came forward on the stage This
WIS intended as an ant-French manifestation
The Berlin press calls upon theatrical managers
70 MAY no longer "Francilon,7 Dccore,7 and
other pieces By French authors, translated for
the German stage. The decree was also absurdly
mistimed. II N ght have been kept back until
the centenary fetes of the Revolution had been
celebrated Its moral effect must be bad al
tie world over.
The French Parliament IS 10 meet on the 10Th
As vet the corridors OF the Chamber are not
particularly lively But still one hears IN them
forecasts about the probable fate of the Cabinet.
AIMS are being Published mp and lntrigaes and
rabals are being entered into. jules Ferry and
lis friends are burning to take Office and work
the country with high hand, with view to the
general elections. They want TO run Jaw
through the Chambers to repeal the last electoral
statute making the county instead Of the dis
trct the electoral unit If they get IN, the anni-
versary Of 1889 viii be tempestuous. just now
wisdom is absent from the councils OF the he-
public.
Lord Salisbury must be dsgrstcd at the way
in which Prince Bismarck has spoken OF England
n his letter to the Emperor William 10 demand
the prosecution Of the publishers OF the Emperor
Frederick's diary. The British Premier was IN
fatuated with the idea OF an Anglo-German ALL
ance Bismarck's insolencc TO the English court
and nation must be a rude awakening. L have
been several times in the company Of Lord Sails
bury and other members Of the Cecil family
since His Worship was made Prime Minister, and
ALWAYS heard them speak in 4 harsh way Of
France Morally speaking, they were on their
knees before the German Chancellor, Just as 'ie
British nobility used 10 be PROSTATE before Ma
poleon the Third and Eugenie before the Hon S
skin was pulled from the ASS shoulders OF the
,orror &C.