The Portland daily press., 1889-01-29
souIaneer,s victory. !.

The election in Paris is over, and Boulan-
ger has won by a tremendous majority He
had demonstrated his strength in the prov
inces. it only remained for him to show tba t
he was equally strong in Paris to put the
Republic in jeopardy. This he has now done
and the civilized world will watch the out
come of his victory with great anxiety.
1t would doubtless be mistake, however,
to regard this victory of Boulanger as an
endorsement of his governmental pro-
gramme. So far as he has formulated any
programme, 1t consists of arevision of the
constitution that shall abolish the Senate
while it preserves the Assembly. The part
of his programme which he does not make
public probably contemplates virtual mill
tary dictatorship, such as existed in the days
of Louis Napoleon, with Boulanger at its
head. Not all of his supporters. at the polls
endorsed his avowed programme even. The
orleanists, who. judging from his majority,
must have thrown their votes for him, are
believers in constitutional government,
though favoring permanent executive head,
And the Legitimists, who also appear to
have voted for him, would not eomplacently
regard his elevation to supreme power. In
deed 1t is not putting 1t too strongly to say
that large per cent. of Boulanger's support
came from men who have no confidence in
him, who look upon him as demagogue and
reckless adventurer, and who at heart
probably despise him. But there has always
existed in France numerous party who
hated the Republic and plotted for its over
throw. Agreed it has been that the Republic
should be superseded by some other form of
government, 1t has never been agreed what
that form should be. A condition precedent,
however, for the success of the ambitious
schemes of all the factions of this party
Legitimists, Orleanists and ID, napartists-is
the destruction of the Republic, and to this
end they have labored unitedly, having little
scruples about the character of the means or
the agent provided 1t gave promise of accom-
plishing the result. In Boulsnger they saw
such an instrument, and they rallied around
him accordingly. Another element thar
contributed not a little to Boulapger's
strength was the holders OF Panama canal
shares. Thoroughly INSCRIPTIONS, and lie
all demagogues profuse in promises. he had
professed sympathy with the sufferers by
reason Of the failure of DeLesseps's enter
prise, and inspired them with hope that his
success meant some relief from the
government. But the great bulk of Boulan-
gers support probably represents simply
spirit Of unrest--a spirit which seeks
change merely:for the sake of change. France
mas always had an abundance of that kind of
population, and the fact has always consti-
tuted the most serious menace to the perma-
ment existence Of republican form of gov
eminent.
What will happen now that Boulanger is
successful? That depends very much ON
his future course. IL he undertakes to ac-
complish the purpose which his opponents
have credited him with, of grasping the SUI
preme power. it is safe to assume that he
will encounter the vigorous resistance of
many of the factions which supported him
on Sunday. Ready enough to help him tear
down, they are by no means ready to help
him build up such a structure as he is be-
lieved to. contemplate. Because Boulanger
is a weak and even silly man, with little Of
the stuff In lin Of which heroes are made, it
is by no means safe 30 conclude that his ca
reer is destined to be short. Louis Napoleon
was all this, yet he became Emperor Of
France and virtual. dictator for twenty years.
Inc parallel between the two adventures
which up to the present has been In many
respects very close, may run on still further.