New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-30
THE BOULANGIST REVERSE.


poulanoism has met with a decided reverse
in the elections to the ils-General. The
General debarred from contesting a large num-
her of ACCOMPLISHMENTS in the general elections
rashly determined to offer himself as can
didate for 451 cantons in the local elections OF
the Departments. Several circumstances OPP
Grated against his success The first was lack
Of time for preparations for cOntesting the
cantons effectively and on a large scale. The
Chambers on the eve of their adjournment on
July Is cut him off by legislation from the
plebiscite which he had been planning, and the
interval before the local elections was too short
ia admit of a change Of base. Moreover, the
cantOns were startled by the audaciOus attempt
made to change the character OF the tnennal
elections. The COuncils-General regulate tax
alton and local administration in the Depart
ments. While they participate in the proceed
;ngs of the electoral colleges for the election Of
Senators their functions are not political in
broad sense They represent the Department
taypavers. take charge of roads, bridges, ferries,
| asylums, almshOuseS, charitable institutions and
other properties, apportion the direct taxes
among the ACCOMPLISHMENTS and levy eXtraor-
binary rates for local purposes The BoulanglSt
plan of converting those assemblies with their
responsible duties in connection with Depart
| ment government into political agencies for
promoting the Generals fortunes and counter
acting drastic legislation against his party
| alarmed the conservative voters. Technically
he was an ineligible candidate in every Depart
ment where he was not property ana
the electors were too cautious to waste their
votes as taxpayers for the sake Of so anomalous
pebiscite. With all these disadvantages
operating heavily against him he has been
elected by only meagre fraction of the l ,344
voting cantOnS so far heard from.
The effect of this premature and disastrous
| demonstration of Hid directed energy cannot be
! helpful to the BouIangist movement. 1t was an
attempt to demonstrate the Generals popular
| ity in the face Of strenuous resistance Of the
Government and legislative coercion by the
Republican Deputies, and it has ended in hui
initiating failure. The prestige of the move
| ment is impaired, and preteXt is offered to
| lukewarm adherents for abandoning it alto
gether in the approaching general elections.
| The Republican canvass on the other hand,
will be greatly invigorated by a decisive sue
cess which can be interpreted as the begin
ming of the end Of Boulangism. Ministers will
be encouraged to press the indictment against
Boulanger, Dillon and Rochefort, to deprive
them of political rights, and virtually to outlaw
them in advance Of the elections. The Depart
ment of the Interior in like manner will be
emboldened to exert greater pressure through
the Projects and Councils of Prefecture under
it's control upon the constituencies, and to over
shadow them with official influence in the ap-
preaching contest. The Boulangists have re-
preached the Government for being weak,
vacillatng and unstable. 1t has had recourse
TO drastic measures for demonstrating its SUI
preme authority, and may now employ some Of
the questionable election methods of the EN-
pire in grinding out under official pressure q
| Republican majority in the next Chamber of
Deputies
| There is, however, one ominous sign in the
| Department elections which may well nanaa