Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-04
The French Cabinet Crisis.


overpassed, hut the details of the episode
which brought it about pretty well over
shadowit. The situation is one, of cause,
clouding effect so far as public interest Is
concerned. Considering that as a rule the
existence of French ministries is measured
bv months rather than by years. that the
incidents connected with their resignation
generally partake more of opera-bouge than
of tragedy, and that their changes are ordl-
narily more of the character of rsadJust-
ment than that of radical substitution OF
the representatives of one faction for those
of another, NJ LoUBET's downfall would
probably have attracted very little atten-
ton save for the scandal associated with
it. The LoUBET government has been In q
hurlv-burly ever since it was organized,
and, il will be remembered, came very near
going out on the issue raised by the
Anarchist explosions.
To the credit of French patriotism, how
ever. it must be said that on that issue he
received hearty. bipartisan support.
The obstruction on which his Cabinet went
to pieces was one he interposed himself
Canal investigation. Not since the days
of the Credit-Mobiier affair in this coun-
try has such q stigma been put upon
legislative body as the Panama search
light cast upon the French Chamber OF
DEPUTIES. It Is charged that millions or
francs went into the pockets OF members
of the Chamber in consideration of their
4 - o4 1 m Il tfac n
yolyed also that millions more were ex-
pended in substituting the Paris press. The
details involve the suspected suicide OF
Baron RENACH, rumors that members OF
the LouBET Ministry and deputies were
detected burning important papers bear
ing upon the investigation; and slega-
tions of the mysterious disappearance of
checks and other documentary evidence
that would establish wholesale rottenness.
swindling. and bribery in connection with
NJ. DE LEssEPs's great enterprise.
NJ. BRIssoS, president Of the parlia-
mentary investigating committee, has
from the first evinced determination to
GO TO the bottom of tho affair, but at
nearly every step LoUBET has hampered
him by technical opposition. Finally,
when the government rejected resolu-
ton of regret that Baron REINAcH's pa
pers had not been sealed immediately
after his death, the Ministry was forced
TO retire under an adverse vote Of S0i to
219.
NJ. IouBEr based his rejection of the
resolution, as he did his refusal to allow
the body of Baron REINACH 70 be exhumed
for the purpose of an autopsy, upon the
claim that Nj. BRssoN's demands were
illegal. but his course places him III a very
unenyiable attitude. 1t cannot be con-
strued otherwise than as an effort to sup
press tine truth and protect members of his
Cabinet who are not above suspicion. Ga
the other hand, the vote IN the Chamber
makes a good showing for that BODY, in
dicating, as it does, that majority of the
deputies court thorough investigation.
This NJ. BRIssoN may be depended upon
to make if il is possible. The revelations
promise to prove that the French people
have been the victims for years OF sys-
tenn of robbery that is almost without q
parallel.
In connection with the crisis, Of course,
naturally arises the question, What effect
will it have on the general status OF Euro
pean politics and the French form Of
government? So far as can be seen at
present il will have no appreciable effect
except to purify the latter. The circum-
stances which led TO the crisis are family
affair. and are not of character TO pro-
duce a revolution. 1t ls true tnat La Ma
lion declares that were a pretender TO
present himself IN Paris prepared
10 take up the inheritance OF the
republic a splendid opportunity would
offer. Ii is also true that the
Paris correspondent of the New York
Herald asserts that if the republic
stands it will be because there is no.
thing to take its place. But these utter
ances must be regarded as vaporings
thrown off by the excitement Of the mo-
ment. The monerchical uudercurrent in
France has not obtruded itself as a serious
phase in the drift of events. While the
French republic must still be regarded ss
an experiment. and although It's friends
are in constant fear of an upheayal that
will wreck it. the fact remains that 1t has
withstood strains tending vastly more than
the present TO eyentuate IN such ca
lemity.