New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-14
BALZAC IN ENGLISH.
A CIVIL SERVICE STORY.

BUREAUCRACY or, CIVIL SEt a. sIiss Tans
lated BIZ Katharine Prescott Wormeloy' lIho'
S33 boston; Roberts Brothers
The story which appears for the hrst tune m
English under the tito Of Bureaucracy Is su'hus
ryar,nlo OF Balrac's marvellous versatility. The
o.dsr meht s,puose that the author had spent life
time in studying the arcana OF politics, ana thM olS
the closest personal relations could have gwen him
tho minute and cnpiouB information on the subject
bc evidently possesses. The book indeed = NOS,
careful and exact study OF to Frunoh LN service VI
RaIzac's time and Il possesses special interest po'
Americans In tho contrasts and parallels wh'oh arc
inevitably suggested by 1t. Given institutions re-
semblng one another In fundamental orm anu P''n'
c,,I. and there must he rcsemblances also In the'r
or % ,,orl,inc II Is the seamy side Of politics
no, ts hare analyzed the obvious purpose OF mo
,,hor having been to expose tho evil influence e1or
o,ssd upon Government and public affairs by hs
growth of an army Of ofhce-hoders IN "hom SCH
interest had killed patriotism, and who Oy the'r nv
ccssant intrigue often paralyzed WHOLESOME anu
retornatory measures, especially all such a phdou 70
s,mnlfv and cheaper the transaction OF tho public
business
IN illustrate the sinister influence OF this bureau
crazy Balzac shows a really public-sputod, capaoo
and statesmanke head Of bureau. who deyotc' him
self 10 the evolution OF a cIvlService system ana
revenue SYSTEM by tho adoption OF which economy
and dispatch on the hand, and an Increased rev.
enue on tho other may DO secured NJ Haooufuih
IA the type of the oivscrvice reformer who looks
only to the end. and whIlo planning broadly, boldly
and ingeniously falls take into consideration the
strength and compactness OF tho adverse nhuene'S
| which have been nour1shcd and Bmly consolidated
| by tho system he proposes TO reorgaidze d. IA
bourdn's plan Of civil service reform Involves arge
reduction In tho clerical force, and corresponding
| Increase IN the salaries Of the employees. lie pro
| poses TO do tho work with small body OF hlghy
paid men instead Of large body Of poorly paid men
IN short and he calculates that the change VIII both
save the country money and increase the efciency Of
| tho public service Following up his general prn
ciples he advocates the substitution OF direct for IN
| direct taxation, and the opon imposition upon ths
richest classes OF the heaviest fiscal burdens. 1T
Bslzac's time tho snglc-tax theory was unborn anc
| no proposes but light mpost upon real properly
| The scheme IS interesting II not such a. Mlnsin
| would be willing TO lay before the Chamber, and j
contains several shrewd suggestions though OF course
| It is intended to be opposed as impractical
| MADAME Rabourdin, clever and ambitious woman
| resolves upon pushing her husbands fortunes. III
has not communicated HIS plan TO her. dreadlng he
caustc wit and what he thinks her tendency to levliy
She proposes To advance his interests by cementnI
| alliances with influential people, to which end sh'
opens a salon, and entertalns handsomely, drawinI
about her all who likely TO further her purposes
and taking great pains to establish reputation
| Rs a charming hostess. She comes In contact soor
! with crafty and unscrpulous politician named
Des Lupeaulx, who is officially close TO the Minister
and through whom she hopes to secure RabourdinR
| promotion. Des Lupeaulx is scoundreL Bazac'
portrait Of him is a hnshed piece. But speaking o
portraits this book contains q perfect gallery o
them such as no other writer than Balzao has eve
drawn. There IN his books many such wonder
fully minute and vivid pictures OF individuals
instance the boardeTs at Madame Vanquar's In Per
GoriotB tho salon OF Madame Bsrceton. In 9Th
Grande Homme de Province Paris" another famou
catalogue in lie Cabinet des Antiques" and man
Others. In the present he presents us Wit
photographs of the civil service clerks In the deren
bureaus There are many Of them, but when W
have read the descriptions we know them all, an
should recognize them In the street. These empoye
perform here the functions Of the Greek chorus
They themselves of secondary Importance, thong
they sharply indicate the tone OF the action Beyon
them the main current Of the drama flows Il
a combat we arc witnessing, and al tho moro III
sorblnK because. It is carried on under cover an
with all the arts Of chcanery, fraud, treaehery
hypocrisy and greed.
The sinister figures OF old Gobseek, 0igonnet an
Mitral represent the principals on one side, whit
Celestine Raboufdln, her husband. and Des LupeAu
stand for the cause OF tho upright official Des u
pesnlx Is Of course lighting for his own hand an
when he finds that the crafty isurers have entangle
him In their nets he does not hesitate long beiol