The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-05
The French Crisis.


Tho extreme difficulty encountered by
President CAnNor in finding n successor to
Nj. LouBEr in the post of Premier seems TO
justify tho growing suspicion that the
Chamber OF Deputies Is deeply Implicated
in the frauds imputed to the Panama Canal
Company. Those who have openly or
secretly approved OF the attempt made by
NJ. LouBEr to stfe tho proposed parlia-
mentary investigation OF the scandal nave
proved strong enough to thwart tho EFFORTS
of NJ. RRrssoN to form Cabinet pledged to
rigorous inquiry. A like failure attended
the endeavor Of NJ. CAsIMrR PERRlER to
construct Ministry: mainly. it seems. be-
cause no refused to accept for colleague
NJ DE FREYCINET. who joined Nj. LoUBEr
in opposing tho demand of M. RTCARD.
lately Minister OF Justice. for prosecution
of tho person accused OF improperly using
the companys funds
II now NJ. DE FREYcINEr Is included In
the Ministry which NJ. BOURGEOIS has been
commissioned to form, or II the former
shall himself become Premier. tho fact
will be generally held to mean the triumph
OF tho conspiracy to put stop to further
disclosures Of official corruption. and to
rescue tho suspected bride takers. In and
out OF the legislature, from the conse-
Quences OF their acts. II such Ministerial
programme wero to be sanctioned by the
Chamber Of Deputies. that body would en-
trely forfeit its claim to public confidence.
and large part OF its members would
probably find themselves relegated to pri-
vate life at the next general election. Fore
seeing this danger. the Chamber is likely
to seize tho first opportunity OF defeating
the new Cabinet and leaving it to bear all
the odium Of an attempt to cover up the
greatest financial scandal of the century.
Such an opportunity will he offered mme-
diately after the rcassemblirg of the leg
islature. for a member OF the Right has
given notice OF his intention to move that
the investigating committee be invested
with judicial powers. Any Cabinet OF
which NJ. DE FREYCINET is member may
be expected to oppose this motion. Tho
effect of contest on such question will
in any event be damaging to the present
republican regime. II the motion is re-
jected. both tho Ministry and the legisla-
ture will stand disgraced in the eyes OF
honest Frenchmcn. II the motion is car
ried President CARNor. despairing Of FORM
ing still another Cabinet will have no re-
source but to dissolve the present Parlia-
ment and order a new general election.
Let us suppose. however--what Is at least
possible. for NJ. DE FREYcINET has been
often known to change his mind-that the
Cabinet of which he is a member will agree
to clothc tho investigating committee with
judicial powers and to permit an autopsy OF
NJ. REINACH's body. 1t Is obvious that the
persons interested have gained much by
delay. NJ. LoUBEr and his colleagues. al
though they have resigned. retain office
until their successors are appointed. and
meanwhile they have persisted in their re-
fusal to allow REINACH's body to be disn-
tered or his papers to DO seized. Ample
time has been afforded for the suppression
of incriminating documents. Then, again.
the committee of the Chamber. to which has
been denied the power to compel the pro-
duction OF witnesses and papers, and to
intlict penalties for perjury. has been
embarrassed in its efforts to explore the
scandal. NJ. CHARLES DE LEssEPs and 9TH
ers, whose testimony was desired. have de-
clined to obey summons which the
committee could not enforce. The won
der Is that under such circumstances
any important evidence was pro-
CtidOio. hS u uuIIeE ol ldcI, now
over. checks have been produced which
furnish prin'a .fdcie proof Of bride taking
against n former Minister. now dead and
against several persons still conspicuous in
political life. 1t has also been shown that
large sums OF money have been paid to the
leading Paris newspapers. the receipt Of
which tho newspapers implicated do not
deny. but attempt tardily and lamcly to
explain away. They havo stopped. how
ever. trying to throw cold water on the in
vestigation. and the question Chi bono is
no longer repeated in their columns.
When we consider how much rascality
has already been unearthed under the most
unfavorable conditions. wo may be certain
that the Panama scandal Is destined. when
thoroughly probed. to make shipwreck OF q
multitude Of official regulations. 1t may
turn out. too. that Americans are more
deeply interested in this business than Is
commonly supposed. for the charge has
been made that a part OF the company's
| corruption fund was expended on this side
| Of the Atlantic.
The Power OF tho Machine.