The record-union., 1893-08-14
FRANCE EXCITED.
Hysterical Fury Raging Over the Com
ing Elections.s


PARIS, Aug. l3.-The electoral camnaion
now RACES with nysterical fury pecul-
iarly French. The only issues which re-
ceive public attention are personal and
local. There is not even a distinct strug-
gle between the socialists and anti-social-
lists, and other general division of forces
there is none. 1t is a campaign of abuse,
passion and prejudice. The leaders of all
parties and cliques seem to avoid all ma
tional questions and bid for support only
on the ground that the other fellows are
the blackest rascals.
One scandal of the multitude which fills
the air deserves attention. 1t is the
charge brought by Dupas against both
the Loubet and Ribot Ministries, and by
implication against~Carnot. His allega-
ton is that the Government was secretly
protecting and negotiating with Arton,
the bribery agent of Baron Reinach in
the Panama scandal, while pretending to
be hot in his pursuit. 1t has a much
sounder foundation than the ordinary
election story. 1t is unfortunate that it
appears just now, when all those i'm
plicated can treat it as campaign lie.
There is ample evidence, aside from
Dupas' statement, that the charge is true.
Facts which are transpiring regarding
this latest phase of the Panama scanda
corroboTate all that was said in these dis
patches last winter to the effect that the
Governments pretended virtue and the
investigation of the Panama infamy was
but sham. The real truth about the
political end of the Panama corruption
never was allowed to get out and never
will be. Nearly all the guiltiest black
mailers, who still control the Government
of France, will be reelected a week
hence. They will elect the President and
divide the spoils of the public offices
among themselves. They will remain in
power until some fresh exposure of their
crimes exasperates the people to apply
the traditional French remedy for intol-
cradle government.
Dupas' revelations are having a good
deal of effect among the electors, but
they, in many cases, are powerless to ex-
press their condemnation by votes. They
are beginning to say that they have only
choice of thieves between the rival
candidates. The situation, therefore, is
fast becoming chaotic.
The past week has turned out large
crop of so-called duels and some blood
has been split at political meetings. The
week remaining of the campaign is far
too short for the effective organization of
any party of reform. The public temper
is becoming ugly, and when the election
day arrives it may take interesting and
violent forms of expression at many
places.
Any attempt to forecast the result of
the polling on the Goth would be waste
OF time. Confusion is promoted instead
of allayed by the candidates seeking re-
rightly, that their chances are improved
thereby.
The lQuidator of the Panama Company
has taken this opportunity to begin suit
against the contractors and bankers of
the enterprise, including Seligman
Brothers, to recover 15O,0OO,0O0 francs on
the ground that the money was obtained
on false pretenses. 1t is safe TO say that
this move will yield nothing.
The recent attacks on Clemenceau have
been followed by such strong reaction
that the indications are that the redoubt-
able radical will be returned to the Cham
Der by his constituents.
The war crusade by the Paris press
against Great Britain during the Siamese
crisis has now extended to the provinces,
where the most rabid attacks on all things
English fill the newspapers. There is no
limit to this abuse, and one is strongly
reminded of the press denunciations of
Germany during the early months of 1870
before war was declared