Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-04
THE FRENCH TROUBLE.

4A6 E06NSa 40OOo46.
The crisis in France" as the dispatches
phrase it, does not appear to us to presage
such serious trouble for the Republic as the
accounts say is entertained France has
several times passed through greater peril
since she adopted the republican scheme,
and each time has emerged stronger than
before. President Carnot we look upon as
possessed of good deal more of that
quality of political backbone necessary in
such time as this, than President Grevy
had in the later years of his incumbency
The fact that the Ministry by conventional
rule retires on disagreement with the
Chamber, does not indicate, Of necessity
an agitation that is likely at an early day
TO bring up in revolution. The motion for
urgency divided the Chamber very evenly
certainly there was no such strong ma
jority for Laguerre's motion as to encour-
age the Boulanger party to make stand
at once against the Government, should a
new Cabinet also join issue with the Rad
icals, as is altogether likely. Neither will
any Ministry be called to the bureaus that
will consent to the abolition of the Senate
as the Radicals propose in revising
the Constitution. Nor will President
Carnot call for any formation
of Cabinet that will put Bou-
LANCER at the head of the War
Department. If these issues are to be
fought out, the Radicals might as well be-
gin their threatened revolution at once
it would, indeed, be best for France that
they should resort to force now, and de-
clare Boulanger Dictator. Such STEP
more speedily than any other, would rally
the patriotism of France to the defense of
the Republic, and the Revolutionists
would be crushed in the earliest hours of
their effort. To such resort, however, they
will not now fly. Their purpose appears to
be rather to annoy and discourage the real
friends of the Republic.
These political flurries in France teach
us that the politicians of the country have
not as yet formed a correct idea of the pur-
pose of the Republic, and have, indeed,
but feeble conception of the scheme. 1t
is unfair to conclude that all those in the
ranks of the Radicals desire to overthrow
the present system. They fail, however
to look beyond their acts and foresee, as
they easily might, the inevitable outcome
of their insane folly if persisted in much
longer. They cannot, as we have said,
conquer now; but the day will come when
weaker man than Carnot will preside
over the Republic, and if they continue
their assaults, such a man will fall down
before them, and that will be the signal
for the Royalists to attempt usurpation.
The Bonapartists, Orleanists, and Com
munists-every faction opposing the Re
public-casts its strength with the party
challenging every Ministry appointed.
But this significant fact appears to make
no impression upon the opponents of the
Government. In this country, if such an
issue were possible between Congress and
the Executive, it would not take the peo-
pie at large day to resolve upon which
side to cast their fortunes.
The safety of France now is in the su-
perficial character of these ministerial
overthrows. They do not reach the peo-
pie, as a rule. The small land owner and
the manufacturer, the Frenchman of the
more distant parts of the Republic, the Ia
borer and the artisan, the people, indeed
outside of half dozen of the cities of
France, do not consider their liberties en-
dangered by ministerial revolutions.
When, however, the question reaches
them that involves real change of Gov
eminent we hold to the belief that they
will manifest far greater attachment to the
Republic than they are credited with. 1t
has assured them in peace for sixteen
years; under it they have greatly pros
Pered; 1t has given them financial sys-
TEN far superior to any France had ever
known; it has conserved general educa-
ton; it has broadened the exercise of
freemen's rights; it has given them new
sense of the power of the units in polit-
ical organism, without appeals to sword
and torch; 1t has retained their country
in the confidence and esteem of all other
nations; it has strengthened her army and
navy without expressing the people with
extraordinary taxation-in every way it
has bettered the condition of the French
man who tolls, and he who invests his
means in industries. 1t must be
admitted that indifference to governmental
affairs is always evidence of weakness in
people; but the conditions in France are
such as yet that there cannot be expected
that political activity among the masses
to which in our own Republic we are ac-
customed. In a sense. the French outside
the cities are Indifferent to political events
at the Capital, but if it comes to the ques-
ton of radically departing from republican
forms and systems, we entertain the belief
that the people of France will prove to
the political agitators of France that they
have greatly underestimate the devotion
of the Frenchmen of to-day to the Re
public.
THE FEUCHIER DEMAND.