The morning call., 1892-12-23
THE CRISIS IN FRANCE.

The French situation looks less alarming
than it did few days ago N. Carn0t and
Minister of Justice Record are following up
each clew with inexorable impartiality.
Neither high station nor distinguished SER
vices avail to screen those upon whom sus-
picIon is cast Up TO the present time there
is not the smallest indication that any
guilty man is going TO be allowed to escape.
This is the true course. 1t is by adhering
to this policy without fear, favor or affee-
ton that the repub bile will be saved
The duels which are on the carpet are The
usual outcome Of political turmoils in Paris.
They will prove nothing however they may
result. Whether Ciemencesu kills De-
roulede or Deroulede Clemenceau. the fact
will still remain that a large number of the
leading statesmen of France took brides in
one shape or another, and the effect will be
to discredit the whole class to which they
belong. No amount Of dueling will set
them right in public esteem. When our
civil war broke cut Southern Senators and
members of Congress tried to find a vent
Tor their fury in challenges to Northern
men, but as Wilson of Massachusetts very
properly remarked, the killing of all the
Northern members in duels would not make
any more iustifable to plant slavery in
the Territories, and the invitations to the
deld Of honor were declined. In France a
gentlema must fight or be posted. which
ends his career. but it is not found that the
,emedy facilitates the adjustment of politi-
cal controversies.
AS usual in times Of excitement the
monarchists are coming to the front, this
time with the young Duke of Orleans, the
son Of the Count OF Paris, as their eandi-
date. This young man attracted attention
two years ago when he entered France in
defiance Of the law prescribing his family
attempted to enlist in the army, and was
duly tried. imprisoned and pardoned out
He comes Of a stock which is better thought
Of now than it used to be. His father, the
Count OF Paris, is much respected. He
served III our war under Mcclellan and
wrote history Of IL, which is accurate, if
trifle tedious. His grandfather was the
Duke of Orleans, who was killed in 1912 by
being thrown from his carriage. He was
exceedingly popular. His father was King
Louis Philippe. who was a much better
sovereign than he had the credit of being
and so we get back to Philippe Egalte, of
unsavory fame. The obstacle in the young
Dukes path is that the French do not want
any king or any stirring of dead bones; his
only chance rests on an outbuTst of un-
governable popular rage which might lead
the French TO adopt form of government
which they don't want simply to show their
detestation of the government they have.
Twice within the memory of persons still
IN active life the French have changed their
government. When the unexpected and
really unplanned overthrow of Louis
Philippe threw France into the hands of
Republican leaders. who were incompetent
to handle so mercurial nation. the people
accepted Louis Napoleon, because he
seemed to offer guarantees for the preserva-
ton of order. They threw him over when
lie brought upon France untold misery and
humiliation by engaging in an unsuccessful
war 1t will be observed that no such sub
stahtial reasons for revolution exist at the
present time. At the worst nothing has
happened but the revelation of widespread
venality among members of the Chamber
and members of the press. That is a mess
which can be scTubbed out without pulling
the house down