The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-01-01


Theodore Stanton has lived in Francs
since 1874. He has therefore watched
sshhe progress Of the third republic ssith
the at once critical and sympathetic eye
of an American and republican, and
writes his Judgment of it in The Arena
He concludes that France has glazing
faults and weaknesses, some of which
endanger her very existence as govern
ment of the people, yet, nevertheless, sit
is highly probable that the various royal
and imperial pretenders, their children
ard their children's children will live
and die without ever being able to get
up again in France the throne of the
Capets or that of the Bonapartes.'
The third republic in France has al
ready lived twenty years, longer than
that OF any other government since the
revolutions of century ago, though its
first years were really more monarchical
than democratic.
The faults and weakness Mr.. Stanton
points out as clustering about the pres
ent system of administration he says
would be attendant on any French gov
eminent, and are therefore not to be set
down especially to the blame of the re-
public. The greatest peril that can
threaten republican France is Boulang-
ist demonstrations and adventures.
There is no real, warm, hearty union
among the republicans any more than
there is in the Home Rule party in Ire
land. The party of the opposition, more
over, means ina France rot what it
means in England and America, but it
signifies absolutely the overthrow of re-
publican government and the suhstitu-
ton of an empire or monarchy. The
opposition party in the French legisla-
tive houses is composed of monarchists
and imperialists. and it counts today
more than third of the members of the
chamber of deputies.
This reckless minority is constantly
embarrassing the government and en-
deavoring to overthrow the cabinets.
which have actually been changed
twenty-eight times since 1870. This has
led patriotic Frenchmen to turn their
eyes to the system in the United
States, where the presidents cabinet is
independent of congress. Breaking with
the Catholic church was grave error
ment, considering that the people are
Catholics. Another serious embarrass-
ment is the great retinue of military
officers the presidents of France sur
round themselves with. It is as unlike
our simple democratic forms as possible.
| This parasite military household would
be used to the detriment of true repub-
licanisnl.
Most unfortunate of all, however, is
the annually increasing financial deficit
of the republic. Taxes go higher and
higher, adding grievous burdens to the
already hard pressed French people.
There is in France, Mr.. Stanton says, at
present a tendency toward high pro-
tectiye tariff, which it is hoped will re-
lieve the peoples burdens.
Another grave danger is found in the
fact that what is considered as social
high life in France holds itself absolute
ly aloof from the republic, granting it
neither sympathy nor recognition On
this point Mr.. Stanton writes:
This sulking in the tent on the part of the
reactionists has in it something worse than
their simple absence from all official social
ceremonies. The talents, experience and pa
triotism of this elite are almost wholly lost to
the country and to the government From the
ministries, the judiciary, the foreign embas-
sizes, the procedures and the rectorships of the
universities they are necessarily excluded
The ancient nobility os the old regime, with its
| wealth and traditions, and the younger nobil-
| ity of the First t~.d Second Empires; the blue
blood bcdrgeoisee, especially Of the provinces.
and the aristocratic ladies of all classes turn
their backs, almost without exception, on the
new order of things, and sigh for court and
| king or emperor