New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-17
FRENCH SOCIALISM.
IT'S EVOLUTION INTO POLITICAL PARry
THE TURNING POINT OF THE
COMING ELECTIONS.
Paris, July 90.

at once curious and instructive. France Is not
only the country where the unexpected happenA
she is also the first to put in practice the theories
NJ politcal and social life which are floating
through the air of the civilized world.
The difficulty of our latest civilization Is 70
Mace properly in the social body that great mas
Of working people whose sole possessions are thels
children and their capacity OF earning d daily
w,oe nv their toll. The proletariat-the labor
,nm and collaborating class of humanity-is In
no country more than considerable traction
If tbe entire population. In France 1t numbers
not mora than 100000 out Of 40,O00,000 Of
,nb,bitants. Yet it is Socialism, the theory In
,onted TO solve the labor question, which proves
20 bo the turning point of the coming elections.
This fact has become evident only in the Last
f.,v weeks: even now the disappointed prophets
of the springtime are unwilling 10 recognize H.
The curious part of it is the way In whlch IL has
come about. This has been the result OF the
slow and natural combination OF political FORCES
i, ,rasence of each other and not OF any or
canizcd movement. 1t is like quicklime when
,,,o,or ia noured upon it the shaking Is an In
evitable consequence.
Tho moycmcnt of French politics Is always
indicated by the speeches Of Responsible po''canS'
who take advantage Of some noteworthy o''deioA
for the purpose. The French dehsht III eio-
offence. with lofty abstract 1ormuias "N''" "a'
no very definite meaning; but they hho" n0'T
ing of clear and well-deiined parry paoo
Icnce follows the election Of Deputies supposed
% ho tho faithful representatives Of universal
snar,ce who enter into all kinds OF Unforeseen
oorh;p.tions once they are elected. The speeches
which prenare the way and give the watch"oru
for tbcir election simply show the general trend
of ideas and svmpathies among the people. VIVA.
i; 5;acuIiar 70 the present time Is the posi'on VI
socialism For the first time in France IL s'ahu'
M beside religion and parliamentarism' OIL an
canal footing with a fair chance OF SUCCESS ~
determining the future rulers OF the h"Puo'i'
and the details Of their policy
I'm N the explosion of the Panama scandal Few
months ago there were practically puc '"o ie'u
inc forces in presence Of each o,her i"
notifies. These were what is calHd ,he hepuD
a.u concentration. which has held the majority
=, Dn,tios necessary to rule France absolutely 1or
tbc last fifteen years, and the Conservative h's",
which mainly represented the religious eel'en' VI
the French population ,.,,-
During all that time the attitude OF this rciis'
iona element has been the most obvious diincui'y
IN the way Of the Republic. IL was SUPPOSED ho'
oItooetber rightly to have essential leaning to-
..,ausr--onarchv The anti-clercal policy of CAM
betta ruthlessy carried ont by jules Ferry ana nis
successors had succeeded in excluding this eemenS
sroo oil share in the Government and III alienar
ina from the Republic for the most part, the SYM
ootbios of all who love the moral order OF tne
ost J-nder s,ch circumstances the triumphant
tovrote If ALI election speeches from the party In
rover was always the same" we are the i'pu"'
lic-our opponents are the Repnblics enemies
Tho first breakup Of these Fictitious party lines
began on the side of the CoiservatlVcs' more ,"'n
-, vcar ago The late Cardinal Lavigeric led on
hr = sneech which il was well known had been
insnired from the Vatican Roman Catholcs' as
sucb. are not TO suffer their religion 10 DO "'"h"
nm with the dead cause Of kings ana cnperorS
LONG since nailed in their collins. Their piain uu'y
70 70 obev the powcrs that be, and as universal
suffrage is open 10 them also, they are 10 nah'
the Republic possible to religion ny eAei'N"
their own rights as citizens -.
After AL. il was perceived that the republican
torr, If Government did not necessarily bring with
il the odious Ferry laws obliging students LOT 'No
nros,bood 70 undergo long terms of military SER
;o, :, close companiorship with LOT of dissolnte
ooscri,ts closing the religious schools ana COM
nur,,ics in which a full half of all rcSpec'apa
rroncbmcn had their own education, ana oil "iii'"
,b.;r relatives were members, chasing the SISTERS
from hospitals ard asvums 10 replace them w u"'
trained and irresponsible nurses pickeu up ho oh'
rnew where except the city couhchior WIN
cured them their places. All these measures !"
vos soon were Joss the work OF the kepuplic tn"''
- ,no. ro,utlic,n concentration Of Radicals which
combctta had so ceverly organized, ana WHICH up.
,,oa Comhetta's anti-cleicalism with a rgor OF
which no himself was incapable. IL was also re-
romhored that Theirs a Conservative had louhu-
ed the Republic and that, not Roman 'a'hoii''
alamo hut such old-fashiOned Protcstants as beon
Sav and Jules Simon. and such purely secuia'
al'.S .ann
councillors Of State as the late Courcehe-oeheu''
were opposed TO the present persecution OIL ''e IT,
iigous element. .
Now began series of speeches in good earnest
# p;or declared himself rallied" TO the Rcpub-
lie once and forever; and he began actively Or
anig,rc a new marty Of the Constitutional Right
Count Albert de Nun, grandson of the koyalss
Minister de La Ferronays of 1880. and the chiei
rival Of Gamhe.,a in eloquence in the Legislative
Assembly of tho early Republic. turned ASIDE lro"
vi. anostolate of the workingmen to adhere ohos
AGAIN 70 the real Republic. In the name OF lapor
M, declared that Gambettas Republic had been
tried and found wanting. II was pet saying OF
Gambetta. There is no social question: there are
onIv social questions. These were TO De 'rea'eu'
one by one, as they arose. Now 1t Is equally inc
contention OF the Roman Catholic Count do MUM
and the Socialist Deputy Lafargue, son-in-law OK
Karl Marx. that there is social question. one ana
paramount over all Others
Meanwhile, tho high priests of Republican con-
centra,ion kept on repeating 1--WE are the Kepuo-
lie. the only and the genuine" As successive
Ministries fell they concentrated more aid more
with the Radicals of the Extreme Left. linen
came the Panama scandals This left new prom
lem to I've solved by the politicians who have 50
long ruled F. ince. 49,
The prcscn Constitution of the French Republic
gives absolut power into the hands OF nero
majority of puties, members of the lower house
of tie Iegi>la ure. This majority determines tio
rise and fall OF the Minister'S who are the real IN
ccutive. and through whom the President "
obliood 10 act Ii has scarcely check from the