New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-27

and ,yould M, onnrovc But il would be still
more unsafe to accept the arrangements OF the
republic prepared by the friends OF inc moharchS
without further and fuller examination ana 'his
caution is incumbent upon all who read Mt iluri-
bert's book
The weight of the argument. as we have said.
is in the Introduction, and the conclusions 'nere
set down are supposed to rest upon the recorueu
observations in the body OF the work we say
"supposcd 10 rest because these observations do
not really bear out the Judgment of the author
in number Of instances. so far as thcy inrhlsh
proof of the prevalence Of mona:chical sentiment
among the people, cool criticism must decline 70
admit the demonstration to he suillclcnt. STA
tistics showing temporary and occasional sepub-
lican reverses at the polls and equally temporary
and occasional anarchist successes cannot he re-
lied upon as warranting any general inference.
The French voter like any other, is sensitive 70
many Influences 4 period Of commercial or
Agricultural depression, a recent colonial mishap,
q military reverse the enactment Of some obnoX
ions measure will turn him. at any moment,
acoirst the Government. That liability. how
ever cannot be fairly made use Of to Justify the
inference Of popular dislike of the prevailing form
of government, or Of preference for another form,
and here Mr.. ITurlberts conclusions are seriously
AZ fault Party men. no matter how firmly
grounded in their principles, can only in France
to-day express dissent from the policy of their
own organization either by RETAINING from vot-
ing or by voting with one the other of the
parties which aim at challenging the form OF
government Thus it may easily happen that APP
parent monarchical or imperial gains at the polls
are the result of republican votes, alienatcd for
the moment, but only for the moment. from tie
Government Viewed in this light the figures
biol Nr oil 10
monarchist vote is increasing and the republican
vote declining should he regarded with suspicion.
MANY things have indeed happened since SIS 10
provoke passing dissatisfaction among the French
republicans and not least telling in the list is
the undesirable increase of expenditure and taxa
ton Nothing so impresses the masses anywhere
as increased pressure of taxation, and the govern
ment has yet TO be invented which is beyond in
Jury from this cause.
There is one subject treated by Mr. Hurlbcrt
which is Of very great interest both in ana ont of
France. We refer TO the religious question. The
best and stanchcst friends OF the Republic have
long regretted the operation of that spirit of
hostility not. as is often asserted merely 10
"Clericasm,' but to Christianity, and in fact
to all religion. which has been forced into promi-
nencc by fanatical NJ Paul Bert and
NJ Jules Ferry. In view of the manner IN which
expulsion of members of religious establishments
the so-caled laicization Of the church schools
and the open and undsruiscd attacks upon even
the belief in God. II must be admitted that the
expression Of alarm for the tendency and drift Of
this movement is not without justification. II
is therefore not n little gratifying TO hear from
Mr.. Ilurbert. who in this case certainly produces
ample confrmatory evidence. that the upon
"clericalism" encounters strong disapprobatlon
especially in the Provinces and that the whole
laiczation" system is resented and discoun-
tenanced by large percentage Of the people
That the programme for the virtual extinction OF
religion in France is in line with the policy Of
the Socialists and Frccmasons and The Radical
elements generally is a fact not 70 be gairsaid
and il follows that republican government
the maintenance Of which depends on It's ability
TO preserve peace, prosperity and order. is play
ing with fire when il makes. directly or ndi-
rectly. an alliance Of this kind After the ex-
perience of the First Revolution after the cX-
pertinent of the Commune. Illusion on this lead
should no longer be possible without religion
no state can endure, no government persist: and
the direct tendency Of the present ant-clcrical
movement is to abolish those ethical safeguards
in the absence Of which duties cease - he rccog-
nized or fulfilled. the qualification Of selfish i'm
all obligations are ignored and anarchy is invited
No doubt there has been widespread misundcr
standing abroad regarding the religious scnii-
ment Of France. Many thoughtful observers have
been led to augur most cviy Of the republics
future, from the current belief that religion wa,
practically dead throughout the country But. as
Mr.. Ilurlbcrt truly enough Observes Most Amer
leans, certainly. and am inclined 10 think most
mol yho II nc nj
a good deal Of Paris. are really in a condition
Of penumbral aIkncss as 10 the true social re-
igous. and intellectual life of the vast majority
81 the population, even of Paris. We see the
Paris OF the houlcyards, the Champs Elysccs the
first nights al the theatres. tho restaurants and
the fashionable shops: the TOut Paris of tie
eosslps Of the press. representing. possibly. one
per cent Of tie population Of the French capital
or the domestic. busy. permanent Paris rhich
keeps the French capital alive from wear 70 wear
and from generation 10 gencration-thc Paris OF
industry and of commerce. Of the churches Of the
charities, Of the schools OF the convcnfs-ho,v
much do see p This is true and timely and
therefore any Trustworthy information bearing
upon the sentiments which the French people
al large entertain is both welcome and valuable
Mr.. IIurlLert. indeed with the persistence Of a
dominant idea. can find other Significance
in all the evidence Of still vigorous and per
vasive religious feeling than fresh proof Of thr
unpopularity Of the Third Republic II appears 10
us. however that the most that can be inferred
from the facts is that the Bert-Ferry anti-rcligious
programme has - tendency 10 ALLEVIATE those who
feel deeply on tie question: and consequently
that even from the point Of view Of politics
alone il is dangerous and imprudent. When 10
these direct differences added the considerations
arising from the affiliations to which such a policy
condemns the government. the is likely 10
appear still grayer; yet, at the worst popular
opposition may fairly be regarded as aimed not
at the existing form Of government. hut AT it,
policy in this particular instance. The growth
of the feeling described in these pages. moreover.
must. it would seem lead to the withdrawal or
modification Of the athcistic programme. con-
clusion the more probable when it is remembered
that in this war against religion the Government