The morning call., 1893-08-23
MONARCHY IN FRANCE.

The feature of the election in France is
the extinction of the Monarchist party. 1t
had really been dead for some time, but no
one suspected the fact so long as it con-
trolled 100 votes in the Chamber. Now the
partisans of hereditary rule OF all classes
including OrleanistS, Bourbonists and
Bonapartists-will not number over 81.
This implies an increased measure of
common-sense in the French people.
That twenty years after Sedan the Mon
archists should have continued to figure
so largely in French politics that they
could elect over one-fourth of the Cham Der
requires some minute knowledge of France
to understand. II is not for moment to
be inferred that cne-fourth of the French
people are in favor of monarchy. The
Monarchist members owed their election
TO two causes. First, in many Of the
rural districts they enjoyed the support
of the cures. Louis Napoleon had always
been keenly alive 10 the nature of clerical
support. One of the very last acts of the
Imperial Government was to recall from
Rome the French contingent which main
tained the temporal power of the Papacy
in opposition to the public will.
In the second place the Monarchist men,
bers Of the Chamber were largely recruited
from the ranks of the old rural noblesse.
They were sons or nephews of dukes, and
marquises, anc counts. and barons of an
cient family, who had occupied their es-
tates for generations. Many Of these had
never lost the love and affection of the
farmers whose ancestors had been their
vasSals. Progress is slow in France. In
many departments the occupant of the
seIgnCrial castle still appeared to be seg-
neur, and his people were proud to obey
his behests. When he wanted to send his
son to the Chamber the voters were only
too glad to oblige him. without inquiring
too closely into the young man s politics.
be was, at any rate, better than lawyer
or shOpkeeper from Paris. Thus, in the
last Chamber were many gentlemen of
high degree, well educated, well hammered
and well meaning, who drifted by family
affiliations into the Monarchist party.
Among these were many who realized the
absurdity Of their position in tying them
selves to a corpse. 1t seems that they have
refused to play the part any longer, and
hence either preferred conversion to re-
publlcanSm or have made way for others
who were original Republicans.
In one sense the NJ harchist faction was
harmless; it could never count votes
enough 10 assert an affirmative policy, nor
could it form a coalition that aimed al the
restoration of hereditary government. Bat
Its vote. so to speak, was always af1oat and
at the service If any faction, socialist or
radical, which desired to embarrass the
Governments and in this way nuisances like
CaSsag1ac could become seriously mis-
chievOus. On questions upon which the
Republicans were nearly equally divided
the MonarchiSts held the balance of power
and they felt it to be their duty to cast
their votes to the side which promised most
confusion and most disorder
The new Chamber will afford a fresh
test of the capacity Of the French for self
government. Thus far they have seemed
to other nations 10 be playing at govern
ment as if it was a game Of ninepins 4;
setting up one Ministry after another
merely for the pleasure of knocking them
down. This is an amusing pursuit, but it
is inconsistent with the orderly admins
tratiOu of public business. No man gives
his best ability to the public service If he
is required to be all the time maneuverine
against his overthrow by an unprincipled
coalition of adventures. Il is better for
France to retain in Office minister who is
not an ideal, If he is honest, than to place
in power people who are unknown and
who are only tolerated on the condition
that il IN a few weeks they do not answer
they can be thrown aside.