The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-07-27
1ms PROSECUTION or BocLas-
GEE.

1he French government has syi-
dently determined to push 70 the ut
most the prosecution Of General
b0salanger ard bis lleuseranss, Count
Dillon and Henri EochefoTs. 4 date
has been fixed for their appearance 10
answer 10 the charge 81 treason.
Whether they appear or rot. and they
probably will not. they viii be declared
guilty. As result their e3tizsusi hip
in France viii be declared forfeited,
their property viii be eonsscased and
they will be rendered fereser ineligs-
be for holding Office under tbs re-
pubIic.
Whether II l. prudent for the gov
ernment 10 thus push the i'osIangi*tS
- the point OF desperation nay te
Doubted. II surface indications are 20
- trusted, the Boulanger fafor vas
dying . natural death. The general
has been fat failure in london. He
has not been received by society. bis
6nances are evidently al low ebs
and he il rapidly sinking 10 the level
81 the ordinary advehturer. rand exile,
for whom nobody cares and whose
plots seldom reach beyond the walls
Of the pubic house in which they are
coDcocfed. London has an army Of
such political refugees. gathered to-
rether from every country In the
world except the United States. ko'i-
hanger was rapidly hmsiing place IN
the ranks Of this unregardsd army
where he would have been distin.
ruished from his fellows only by The
fact that be had at one time played a
more important part In history than
any of the others.
1t is possible that the renewal OF the
prosecution by the French govern
ment may rescue Boalanger from
the fate which threatened him. III
will at least direct pnblie attention to-
ward him once more. and upon pub
lie attention such men as be thrive.
The American way of dealing with
such man would be to let him alone
Instead Of making martyr OF him,
he would be permitted To make a nut
sance OF himself. The world woii!d
soon get thoroughly tired OF him and
unless he happened to have resources
Independent Of the agitaiing business.
he would soon be compelled TO turn
his attention to- some honest employ
ment.
It's likely that the action of The
French government Is prompted by
fear OF the Boulangist sentiment
which may be latent in the French
people. Premier Tlrard and his iel'
low ministers remember that only a
few months have passed since the
Boulangist faror was at its height.
They remember what storms OF en-
thusiasm were evoked by every men
ton OF his name, and they doubtless
remember, too. the manner in which
they themselves were jeercd and
floutcd because of their opposition 70
him. They fear that his popularity
may not be SO dead a. II seems and
that the elections which are fast ap-
preaching will place him and his al.
mirers in control of the government.
This fear would be very natural ore
II the people concerned we're those Of
Germany, Great Britain or the United
States, but the ease with which one
car acquire popularity in France Is
equaled only by the rapidity with
which he can lose IT, The French
people might go Wild over Bouiangcr
in one month and utterly repudiaic
him in the next without dong yiolenc,
10 their record. They have many
virtues, but steadfastncss is not one Of
them.
However that may be, the govern
mcnt Is evidently unwilling To sub
nit the question OF Boulangers popu'
larity 20 the test Of n popular vote. II
prefers To push the prosecution
against him and 10 render him in
capable OF holding Office, hoping that
with his name ont OF the list OF eandi.
dates the chief danger which threatens
Il will be removed,