The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-19

trade, Mr.. MIuLs Is the mon. Free trade Is
not reform for tho same reason that loo per
cont. Is not 80. or O brlstle whole hog.
Tho Gar and French Politics.
For NJ. DE FREYcrNEr. tho head Of tho
French Cabinet. nothing could he more OPP
portuno than a visit from the Russian Min
istcr for Foreign Affairs. The latter has
been ordered by his master. We are told. to
leave Wiesbaden for Paris. not merely to
go through tho formality OF paying his re-
spots to President CARNor. but for the
purpose Of comforting with the French Min
listers on matters In which France and Rus
sia have common interest. What renders
the appearance of NJ. DE GERS particularly
timely md welcome Is the fact that the
French Ministry is still harassed. not to
Say shaken. by the LAFARaUE affair. which
threatened the other day to compel disso-
luton OF the Chamber Of Deputies.
Composed as the present Chamber is. 1t
is extremely difficult. even for q Minister
whose astuteness and occurrences seem to
Justify the nickname OF white Mouse" to
please NJ. CLEMENcEAU on the one hand
and the Russian autocrat upon the other.
Without the cooperation Of the chief Of the
Reds, it would have been impossible to
maintain the union OF Republicans which
has assured to the FREYCNEr-C oNsTANs
Ministry an unusually long lease Of power.
It was CLEMENcEAU and the Jacobins who
managed to draw away from RoULANaER
many Of his Socialist followers. and thus
rendered possible the triumph Of the Gov
eminent in the general election Of
1889. Since then the Socialists have
entered into still closer relations with
the advanced Radicals. and have learned
to look upon NJ. CLEMENCEAu as their cham
pion in the legislature. There is no doubt
that. but for the general desire to propitiate
the Car. the Jacobins and Socialists COM
bined could. even under the mode Of voting
known as the scr,uin Acknowledgement. re-
turn large majority Of the Deputies allot-
ted to the Department Of the Seine. Besides
controlling great many seats for Mar
settles. Lyons, Lille. and other large centres
OF industry and trade. It was in order to
cement Jacobin-Socialist coalition. from
which he may have much to gain. that NJ.
CLEMENCEAU interposed In the LAFARGUE
case and broke the truce which for upward
OF two years has shielded the FREYc1NET
Cabinet from trouble.
1t Is we'll to keep in view the circum-
stances under which the attack upon the
Ministry took place. NJ. LAFARaUE. who Is
son-in-law Of KARL MARK and the head OF
the so-called partie ouurier. or workmen's
party. was arrested, tried. condemned. and
imprisoned on the charge OF causing the
riot which occurred last May at Fourmies.
Since then other Socialists. condemned on
similar grounds to incarceration. have been
released by the Government but although
the Socialists OF Lille had put forward NJ.
LAFARaUE as their candidate for q vacant
seat in the Cham Der Of Deputies. the Minis
ters persistently refused to set him free.
It Is not known why such exceptionally
hard measure was dealt out to the head OF
the workmen's party. but it Is possible that
his close connection with KARL MARX
would make indulgence In his case par
ucularly offensive to the Car. Such seems,
at all events. to have been tho inference
drawn by NJ. CLEMENCEAU, who does not
favor an alliance with Russia. and who for
tho first time in moro than two years
Gercely Gssalled tho Cabinet for breaking
faith with tho extreme Left and for sacri-
fcing its truc friends to conciliate its nat
ural enemies. III the division which cnsucd
14s Deputies sided with N. CLEMENcEAU.
while the Government could muster only
2Ee. and was therefore virtually defeated.
Tor tho Chamber contains ITO rcactiona-ies
who had abstalned from voting. Had the
latter chosen to combine with the extreme
Radicals. as they often aid IN tho Chamber
which expired In 1889. 1t Is clear that NJ. DE
FREYCINET would have bcen beaten oy
largo majority.
Tha: was only the first act OF tho play.
however. NJ. LAFAnGUE was elected ut
Lilo. and was tl.creupon Immediately SGT
froe. in conformity with G usage which even
ucder the Second Empire was observed
Nevertheless. II. CoNsTAss. tho Minister Of
tho Interior. determined to invaIdate the
slect,ou-a performance for which no is well
qualified by experience. Alleging that NJ.
LAEARaUE WIS foreigner. and therefore in
eligible to Office In France. lie caused him to
besulnmoncd before the Committee on llec-
ions. to which tho new member for Lille
frankly acknowledged thGt he was born in
Havana. and that he had ueithor
served In the French army nor taken
any steps to enroll his namo among
French citizens. Here. SO far as the
information telegraphed goes. the mat
tor stands. but evidently NJ. CoNsTANs has
obtained tho coveted prctext FOR excluding
VIZ eou'au-io" VI hA1I mAhA Iou INC
French Legislature. II. however. tho In
valuation Of the Lille election Is followed
by q reimprisonment Of M. LAFARauE. a
tremendous explosion Of resentment ON the
part Of tho Socialists will undoubtedly be
witnessed, 1t is probable that NJ. CLEMEN-
CEAU will In any caso again como forward
as tho dcnouncer Of II Government which
courts tho favor OF autocrats ard imprisons
or proscrihcs tho spokesmen OF the people.
und should tho Right seize tho opportunity
thus offered 1t. NJ. DE FEEYcINET will be
beaten. and can only avert tho immediate
loss Of Office by procuring tho assent OF the
Senate to dissolution OF parliament and
fresh appeal to the electors.
The presence Of II. DE GUas OF such . |