The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-04
A JoURsALIsrIc RAVEN.

William Henry Hurlbut, whilom editor
of the New York Commercial Advertiser
and Of the Word, who finds his chief pleas
ure IN croaking, has commenced series
OF articles for the F@taigAtfy Reviess N
support Of the theory that the present
French repablic is failure. and that the
people Of France are tired Of il and IN
favor OF restoring monarchy OF tpe empire.
II his FIRST contribution be discusses the
question. docs the type Of republican
government which has been exhibited
since 1879 command the confidence Of the
French people as q matter Of fact. and
should it as matter Of right have their
spprcval7r The temper of his late work
On Contemporary France" viii have pre-
pared the pubic for none other than a
negative reply 70 this query from the pen
OF Mr Huribuf. He holds. in she first
place, that the decision IN favor Of the re-
public and the present administration reg
istered In the elections Of 1859 was OBJ
tanned by force and fraud, but barring that
fact was 50 narrow as TO De virtual de-
feat In support of this position he COM
pares the carnot majority Of 1859 with the
overs helmingIy one-sided decision OBJ
tanned az the point OF the hayonet and
rnuzzle Of the cannon a. Louis Sapoleon's
last psSbiscitS-
In this connection HurIbut singles out
one case from the Lodeve district, where
Leroy-Baulieu was the opposition, and
Menard-Dorian the government candi-
date, and where. in poll of over fourteen
thousand votes, Beauiieu appeared, on the
face of the returns, to have just twenty
majority. In q case of popular election in
any country contest would almost GER
tainly result from so narrow majority on
so large vote, and such was the case in
this instance, and on revision by the
Project Of the department Dorian was de-
clared elected
On charges of fraud IN the latter de-
cision the case was carried into the
Chamber Of Deputies. where the admins
tration majority was overwhelming, but
nevertheless that body did not hastily de-
eide in favor Of the sitting member, but
gave the question proper reference to q
committee. by whom after thorough in
vestigOtion decision was rendered against
the government candidate, TO the extent
of finding the entire contest permeated By
fraud, and new election was ordered. At
the new election the opposition candidate
received 10 votes more than before, and
the administration candidate gained 507
and was elected.
IF this case indicates tyrannical control
Of elections by the French government,
and that the people are hostile 10 the per-
petuity of the republic, and that the latter
is doomed. then hundreds of cases might
be cited that would indicate an early end
TO free government in the United States.
In fact. the argument Of Mr.. Harlbut's
illustration most effect1ally defeats its 90
| ject. The narrowness of the majority IN
| both contests, and the gain on both sides
| under the exciting demands Of new cleo
ton. efectualiy refute the claim of despotic
interference and corrupt count Either
| one OF these influences would have re-
moved the contest beyond the reach Of IN
certainty or risk
In forthcoming communications this
writer undertakes to establish the IN
/ worthiness Of the French republic 10 pop
ular confidence or support, on the score Of
corrupt and extravagant fiscal policy.
| While on this topic IL would be well for
/ him TO institute 6 fair and honest compar-
/ ison OF municipal work and expenses in
/ Paris with that Of his home, New York, IS
he might have done, not 10 the disadvant-
| age OF France, by comparison Of vote
suppression and reversal Of ballot-box de-
crees in his native city of Charleston.
| South Carolina, with the cited instance
| in the Lodeye district. Ii is quite safe 10
say that on s margin of but % votes in up
| ward Of 1900 in South Carolina or in =
Democratic congress the representatives
| of the dominant party would not have
been compelled 10 take the chances Of a
| new election. And this croaker 10 the
contrary notwithstanding. neither France
nor the United States is in danger of ex-
changing republican for monarchieal gov
/ eminent by the voice Of the people.