Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-19
FREYCINBT RESIGNS
Associations Bill Defeated in
 the French Chamber.
DIPLOMACY OF THE POPE.
His Recent Letter Believed to Havo
 Produced the Result.

The Bin Was Said to Be Directed Against
 CathOlics-The Vote Was Three Hundred
 and Four to Two Hundred and Twelve
 Victory Over the Government Hailed
 With Enthusiasm By All Hut the Radi-
 cals-LeOn Say Spoken of as n Possible
 Successor to M. Freycinet.
 PARIS, Feb. 19.-A vote was taken in the Chamber of Deputies last right on the Associations bill, and resulted in it's defeat.
 NJ. -Freycinet, Premier, at once offered his resignation.
 The vote was 304 against the bill to 212 in favor of it. Great excitement prevails The bill was said to be directed against Catholics.
 The government said in the first article that the right of association may be en joyed without any previous authorization, but the second article begins by enumer- ating the conditions under which associa- tion will be tolerated.
 A declaration must be made as to the name and object of the association, it's list of members and headquarters and a full statement must also be forthcoming z as to it's foreign members or corre- spondents.
 The points. however, which especially affect religious associations are these: Every member of an association shall have the right to withdraw at any time and to demand that his contributions be paid back, and to this right the asSocia- tion shall not have the right to offer any opposition.
 . The law also enjoins that no real estate shall be owned, except such as is abso- lutely necessary; that hospitals shall not have a larger fund than is needed for their maintenance, and shall not be used to house the association. Foreigners are further prohibited from acquiring any kind of property, and from receiving gifts and heritages.
 For every infraction of the law the offender is to be punished by imprison- ment.
 Liberty in France still maintains her old reputation, and it is therefore useless to add that the bill was coldly received.
 The victory over the government was hailed with enthusiasm by the Catholics and all but the Radicals.
 The Pope's recent utterance in favor of the Republic is believed to be largely re- sponsible for the triumph of the Church over it's enemies.
 The Pope spoke highly of France, and AdIteTeu Ine pT1ue, uOlH HllIIdfy anu civil, of the nation.
 These utterances were made public just at the time when the government was proceeding to introduce it's bill to efface the independence of the religious communities.
 They made d profound impression and disarmed all who were not radically hostile to tho Church and resolved to degrade it.
 The government found too late that |, mistake had been made, but resolved to persist, hoping to fierce the measure through.
 The defeat comes with stunning force, and is interpreted as 8 rebuke for the whole course of the Ministry in clerical matters, from the time that M. Fallieres. as Minister of Public Worship, prosecuted the archbishop of Ak for sentiments that were Jealous and perhaps indiscreet but were certainly not intended as any offence to the State.
 M. de Freycinet has held the place oi Minister of War and Premier since March l, 1890 He is about GA years of age, and has been prominent in public life since 1870
 Leon Lay is looked upon as Il possible successor of NJ. de Freycinet.