The sun., 1893-04-04
Another Makeshift Cabinet in France

President CARNoT seems determined to
keep his only two remaining rivals In the
background. II he can possibly avoid 1t, he
will summon neither Senator CoNsTANs nor
Deputy CAvAIaNAc to form Cabinet. The
new Ministry, headed by the well-known
protectionist, NJ. MELINE. is the feeblest put
forward since the organization OF the third
republic. 1t contains not single man gen.
orally regarded ns OF first-rate ability. Five
OF the least weighty colleagues OF NJ. RIBoT
haye accepted places under his successor.
although IL has been understood that they
pledced themselves. when previously ap-
pointed, to do nothing Of the kind. or the
other members Of the new Cabinet NJ.
SpULIRR alone Is likely to render the Pre-
mier material assistance In the Chamber.
The present crisis has brought out IN q
striking way the difference between the situ-
alton Of the French President and that OF the
English sovereign with respect to the selec-
ton OF Ministers. When an English Pre-
mier is beaten. Queen VICTORIA has no real
power Of choice as to his successor. By GUS
tom, which has come to have all the bind
ing force Of law. she Is bound to summon
the leader Of the Opposition. But that is
tury, ever since the disappearance OF the
Jacobite faction from the House OF Com
mons, 1t cannot be supposed that the
overthrow Of Cabinet is due to the CO.
operation Of an element disloyal to the dy-
nasty. His or her Majesty's Opposition
have, since the accession Of GEORGE I'LL.
been as inflexible upholders OF the house Of
Hanover as are her Mejesty's Ministers.
Very different Is the state OF things In the
Chamber Of Deputies. and different it will
remain unless LEO XIII. should succeed In
Transforming the members OF the Rightinto
conservative but faithful supporters OF the
republican regime. At present the men,
bers of the Right. elected In 1889 before the
remarkable change Of front on the part OF
the Vatican. are avowed and jealous advo-
Gates Of some form OF monarchy. The fact
would not have prevented them under
THEIRS and MAcMAHoN from being recog-
nized In the composition Of Ministries. But
since the definite triumph OF the Republicans
through the election Of NJ. GREvY to the
Presidency of the republic. the principle
has been laid down and unwaveringly fol-
lowed that. no matter what part the Mon
archists might have taken in the demoli-
ceive the slightest consideration in the con-
struction OF the next. The effect Of this
principle has been. first. to practically dis
franchise the minority Of French electors
except as regards the merely destructive
power welded by its representatives: and.
secondly. to give the Chief Magistrate q
freedom OF choice In respect OF Ministers
inc ,nsistent with the theory OF parliament
tary government and almost unprecedented
in its practice.
Thus. inasmuch as the slight preponder-
ance Of votes by which the RIBOT Cabinet
was beaten last week was secured through
the cooperation Of the Right with Republi-
can malcontents, NJ. CARNoT may say that.
although the supporters OF NJ. RIBoT were
a minority Of the Chamber. they formed q
large majority OF the Republican members.
From the latter. therefore. although beaten.
the President ID at liberty. according to the
practice OF the last fifteen years. to select
his Ministers.
The defiance. however. OF the will OF the
popular assembly may be carried too far.
as was proved in the memorable case of
President GREvY. Whenever a Chamber Of
Deputies becomes thoroughly dissatisfied
with the Chief Magistrate it can paralyze
his executive functions by passing vote Of
want OF confidence in all his Ministers as
fast as they are appointed. In such pre-
dicament President has the alternative Of
resigning. as NJ. GREvY did. or OF appealing
to the people through Ministry ad interim.
as Marshal MAcMAHoN did in 1877. For
the purposes. however. OF such an appeal a
strong Ministry Is needed. not one 30 OBJ
YiouslY feehla as La that of NJ MEI.INE