New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-27
ELECTION EVE IN PARIS.
pouLANGER's LATEST PROCLAMATION.
SUPPORTED ny EVERY ENEMY OF THE REruB-
rIc-soMr PARTY is BEING DE-
CErvEp = ELEoTIoNEERING
METHODS IN THE
FRENCH CAPITAL

g.. q ha, a French election been more ardently
ss.x.s..d than that which will be decided to-
rso,rows Perhaps not but again 1 say that
,u,ward and visible signs of excitement are few.
nlanards always excepSed. Such excitement as
there is seems due chiefly to the efforts Of General
Boulangers partissns. Success is admittedly more
important to him than to the Republic. the
French treated politics as the Americans do, Cen
eral Boulanger would not be candidate at all
lie has already a seat in the Chamber Of Deputies
Tor the Nord. Why should he want to be elected
for the Seiue? He cannot hold both seats But
these suggestions of practical politics are alien
to the French political mind, and no
body will vote for or against him Tor
such O reason Paris is France, II you believe
the Parisians. Paris will say tomorrow whether
she is for or against General Boulanger II for
him, the verdict of the other eighty-sx depart
msnts is, in Partisan eyes, of little moment Paris
will have declared for Its new hero. President
and Ministers may begin settling their accounts
and taking new apartments. This, l think, is
the most exaggerated view; but give it as the
view which many Psrisians hold as seriously as
they are capable of holding any view.
A Plebiscite of any kind seems delightful to the
French 1t gives each Frenehman direct voice
In determining, he thinks. the destinies Of his
country To-morow's election is Plebiscite.
The coming general election for deputies viii be
another General Boulanger win then be can
didate in nobody knows how many Departments
II Paris backs him. he may be elected, as Thiers
and Gambetta were. by enough different and
TYPICAL constituencies to designate him as the
ruler France wishes Meantime. he continues 10
protest that he does not wish to ride His latest
proclamation is progression OF Republican faith
have no other aim,' says General Boulanger this
morning, and never will have any other than the
Der He may
honestly believe in his own honesty, but
why, then, is he the candidate Of
the Bonapartists? Why does every enemy of the
Republic support him, openly or secretlyp Inc
Bonapartists are for him openly; the Orleanists
more less secretly; the Clericals and the reaO-
tionaries of every kind are for him.
His strongest opponents are the Radicals, be-
ginning with Clemenceau, but the Radicals, be-
ginning with Clemenceau, were formerly his
strongest supporters. Now that they oppose him,
they are confronted at every turn with their own
declarations in his favor. Nothing dis
credited General Boulanger more than his
attempt to deny his own letter asking the
Duo d'Aumale for promotion in the army. His
letter and his denial are now posted side by side;
but the Radicals again, beginning with Clemen-
ceau, defended that amazing act They white
washed General Boulanger excused him, and alb
solved him from his public falsehood. They now
condemn what they then upheld; but what force
has sucn condemnation? The Orleanlsts pro-
fess aud pnblish policy of sbstenton. By the
great majority the Comte de Paris and his friends
are nevertheless, expected to vote for General
Boulanger.
The question of the Barber OF Seville, Who is
it that is being cheated?7 is asked again and
again General Bouanger cannot be Bona
psrtist, an Orleanist, Republican and Bou-
IN huf ha eheofa M eY-
PLANTATION, and gives himself the quadruple char
acter. The Bonapartists tel you that he VIII
make Prince Victor Emperor The Orleanists are
convinced that he will restore the Comte
de Paris to the throne of his fathers-I mean the
Comte de Paris's fathers, not General Boulangers.
The Republicans, or the Communists who call
themselves Republicans, insist that they ara
strong enough TO prevent General Boulanger from
doing either. Count Dillon Laisant and other
leaders of that curious syndicate which runs
General Boulanger are supposed to believe their
hero capable of throwing over everybody but
themselves and himself Which of them is
cheatedP Or arc they all cheated, including
General Boulangerp Abstention, however will to
some extent take the form Of voting for neither
jacques nor Boulanger, but for somebody else.
Blank bulletins do not count so
ssteur-General Schmitz and other celebri-
ties are to get the scattering votea
Note also that, and the fact that the Republican
journals are taking pains to soothe Republican
fears bysexplainng that General Boulanger's
election, after all, will not mean much. There
Is no danger TO the Republic says the chief
of them all, the danger is only TO the Ministry
A trite view, nevertheless in measure with a
significant addition: General Boulanger cannot
be the peacemaker we all want 1t is not he
who can dominate parties or direct affairs
There is among the Rcyalists but one man capable
Of that, and he one of the lesst able and least
energetic of living Frenchmen.S
What the French call electoral activity is to-
day at its height Most of the work is done in
private Meetings are held, but, of course all in
doors. Work is done largely also by leagues. clubs
and societies The right of public meeting, as we
understand it, does not exist in France Mass
meetings, professions and demonstrations of any
kind in the street are forbidden. The Central
Republican Committee is sitting. Eight members
Of it sit in permanence from 10 in the morning
until midnight They hold themselves at the dis
position Of every eector for every kind of electoral
infonnstion, and really do great deal of hard and
useful work.
Yet both the money and the machinery are on
General Boulangets side. His committees are
said to be able TO spend five francs for every
one laid out by Jacques's committee The former
too, have much the best of the placard war
There are ten Boulanast billposters to every
three Republican. They lie in wait for each
other, and paste each Others bills over as soon
as put up. This street literature is not edify-
ing Appeals to passion common on
both sides than appeals to reason. BY
law each bill must have the name
of the printer and must be approved
by the candidate so that some decency is OBJ
served but indecency is the rule, in broadsides,
sold and given away in the streets Some Of the
csricatures lampoons, songs and pasquinades are
simply indescribabIe. They must be reckoned by
the millions Circulars are sent 10 each voter
az his own house. General Boulanger pays deli
cate attention to tile independent elector and
sends his card with his circular. This little ex-