New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-14
THE FRENCH ELECTIONS.
IL.
THE. PERSONAL EQUATION-M. DUPUY-M
DEvELILE-P PRESIDENT CARNOT-WHAT
REPUBLICAN CONCENTRATION MEANS.
London, Aug. 9


London, Aug. 2.
II the Republic is not in issue at the elections
on the goth, the Republican policy perhaps n.
Or since it might be hard to say what the policy
of the Republic or of the Ministry is, il may b
safer to assume that the issue is personal. would
10 if Ministers could make it SO, and that what
the present Ministry have at heart is the return
of majority for the present Ministry; perhaps
also that what President Carnot has at heart IL
the return of majority for President Carnot for
a second term. The former may not be very
wide issue, but it is at least an ineligible one
or would be if it were presented in a concrete
form Luckily unuclSily for W. Dupuy and
his colleagues, it will not be. II is too ntellig-
bic. too simple, too crude. The Republican
parties. or sections are too numerous and too if.
reconcilablc On vote in the Chamber involv.
inc the existence of a Ministry, the groups COM
bine. but never twice in the same way. The late
chamber did not consist Of a Ministerial party
md an opposition party merely. If it had, or il
any Of it's predecessors had. or il there were any
hone that its successor would, the future Of the
Republic in France. and especially the future Of
Parliamentary government, Woulu ne consid-
ably clearer than it is.
To assume that France, or that the Republi-
can parties or any of them, is profoundly In.
+ercsted in tie personality of VI. Dupuy would
I've TO assume great deal too much. VI. Dupuy
WAS IN almos. unknown man when NJ Carnot,
groping in troubled waters, fshed HIM out for
President of the Council in succession 10 VI. Rbot.
He is not much better known now During
his few weeks Of office he has shown himself
both strong and weak; strong IN putting down
the Paris riots: weak IN sacrhc1ng 70 Kadical
clamor and Radical intrigue the Prefect Of
Police VI. Loze the right arm OF tho Government
in that business. II is not at all probable that
VI. Darby has a log future before him as Prime
Minister IL is certain that his is not a name
T. go to thu country with.
IL il rather his colleague, NJ Devellr. Min
ister of Foreign Affairs, who has come TO IN"
front in this brief interval. His somewhat sud-
den notorety is. however, more Partisan than
general, and more European than Partisan
II will hardly do him much good with
the masses cf French voters TO Ne known a.
the "Siamois" though il may not destroy him
a. the nickname "Tonknois' destroyed Jules
Ferry. NJ Devce has had the shrewdness to
O. a. il now appears. lUst far enough In Siam
for ectioneering PURPOSES. and to stop there.
Not TOO much SIAM but just Siam enough. What
his performance may ultimately lead to is another
matter. but at present there is no butchers bill.
there is no bill of any kind, there is D triumph
over .fenceless State, there is something that
can be represented as Il diplomatic triumph over
England
Hut with all this. there is nothing TO show
that NJ Devele is going in for pleoiscite' or
that in the separate elections for 5S4 Deputies. mis-
name will ba used. as Mr.. Gladstone's was used
last wear in Great Britain. Last years election
in Great Britain and Ireland undoubtedly turned
ON the question whether the people of the United
Kingdom wished Mr.. Gladstone TO he Prime MIN
lister or not The people of England said no.
The people of Great Britain said no. The people
., Great Britain and Ireland said yes, and Primo
Minister he ACCORDINGLY became No such clearly
defined personal issue that is now possible In
France She has no Gladstone. The absence OF
:, Gladstone NAV not he unmXed calamity,
but there can be little doubt that II Is re-
pro ich and a misfortune to the Republic 10 nave
produced no great man. One leader OF aImosS
the first order she did reveal though she dW
not produce him. In presenting Ganioetta I'd
fine notice of the world she seems 10 have ex-
hau-ted her energies. Yet Gambctta maze ms
immense fame 50 long ago as 1870 ana 1871, %"
fore the Republic had been definitely founder.
There have been able men since. There mas been
no man Of real political genius.
II il were possible the personality presented 70
tho surraces Of the French people would he
n,;ther NJ Dmuy nor NJ. DeveNe but NJ Car
nor For the Chamber of Deputies now 10 ne
chosen will unless sooner dissolved form WIN
Tin. Senat. that Congress which, i'll December,
isot mr. :, little sooner, viii have 10 choose d
srcce.sor TO NJ Carnot as President of the french
Renublic lie WAS elected Presldent-lt Is u
memorable date for more reasons than onc-Dfoeni.
Der g. 1887. On the same date IN loof lie WIZ
have served his full term OF seven years. 10 /"
understood that NJ. Carn0t il entirely WILING !"
hs his own successor, and it is not yet clear VINO
il likely to be his strongest opponent, or wne'hef
h hos or will have any very strong opponent
Hut then neither was NJ. Carnot himself strong
candidate, if, indeed. he could be called cauu-
date at all when VI. Grevy disappeared from puoho
life and from the Presidency amid storm "
misses and of well-earned obloquy.
He came in AS a compromise; an almost I'm.
known man He has been good PresidenS IL
NOT strong President: better, in some respeefs,
for not being strong. His cautious temperance.
and conservative views have stood him in Coca
s,,nd His honesty has never been seriously
questioned The gutter journals which last WIN
ter accused him of dabbling then in Panama we's
NOT serious Journals and they had no evidence.
Panama. which besmrched France befriended NJ
Carnot. 1t relieved him of VI. de Freycinet. VINO
down TO last January seemed likely enough 70 %
next President 1t relieved him OF NJ ROGUE"
NJ RouTier, NJ. Cemenceau. and OF some o'",''
,yhom for various reasons he regarded as oos'aoe.
in his path The sole risk he then ran grew ou'
Of the atmosphere of suspicion which hDeo 'o'
country amid which calumny often serve" a.
rroof Put NJ. Carnot emerged scathless.
He has seen Ministries come and 60 !"
placiup one President of the Council by ano'"e,
ne has not always played a strictly constitutions
mart. and he has not always been fair 70 "e.
whom he di,ked But he has been prudent anu
he, mas been fortunate lie has SEEN win ono
exception. every one OF his most formidable c0%.
petitors discredited. destroyed or removed W
death. His personal popularity has stea'i,y IL.
creased: his fame in France has widened' h'e.'
iournev he has made through different depA'.