The sun., 1893-08-06
THE FRENCH ELECTIONS.
LITTLE INTEREST YET, 1HoUoH THET
Occur IN FORTNIGHE

Constnns Thinks the Moderate Republicanr
VIII win-The Return OF n Majority of
tho Present Members Appears Quite Cers
tain-A Monument OF Christ in st. Denis
Removed with tho Public Approval-Zois
Aspires to New Honors in Politics.
PARIS. Aug. 5.-Already the Siamese episode,
over which the country was willing to 60 to
war with England q week ago. Is beginning to
fade from tho public mind. 1t was settled too
quickly to have great effect on the elections,
especially as few know that the Governments
bowed to the demands OF Great Britain.
The interest in the elections which will take
place only two weeks hence thus far 10 not Inc
tense. although two or three violent meetings
have already been held. The Republicans are
secure OF q good majority, but the Socialist
element is still an uncertain quantity.
Constnns. who is the only great leader OF the
opposition to the present Executive. talked
freely Yesterday with The Sun reporter about
the situation. The success Of the Moderate
Republicans is he believes. assured. Even II
by chance the majority should be against
thcm. 1t would mean delay. not destruction.
II the Radicals and Socialists should win 10
would not interfere with the purposes OF his
party. The dissensions OF the Radical clfQues
arc 80 hopeless that thcy would surely over.
and thus raise the Moderates into higher es.
TEEN than before.
As for the Monarchsts, Imperialists. Legiti.
mists and what not these do not longer
exist as cslculable forces In q contest. They
allies. for the present at least, OF the exist
ing Government, and are the natural enemies
OF radicalism and socialism.
'The return" added Constans. "of q ma
jority Of the present members OF the Chamber
ID
provinces. quito certain. The members from
the dozen new districts will not materially
affect the result. am compelled to confess.
however that my programme. as outlined In
my speech at Toulouse. has not yet fully ma
tured. and We cannot hope to have in tho new
Chamber real Government majority with
WhiG and Tory sides"
More than 1900 candidates for election
to the Chamber have been nominat-
ed. and Paris Is plastered from end
to end with election manifestoes. Tho
Papal Nunclo has notified the Vatican that
there Is small hope OF more than few Repub-
lican Catholics being elected. This may ac-
count for the decision of the Pope not to urge
Catholic electors to support Republican candi-
dates.
A striking incident occurred yesterday In
the Socialist suburb Of st. Denis. There has
long stood in the burial ground Of the town
large monument OF Christ on the Cross sculp-
tured by Paul Durand and valued at 25.000
francs. Members OF all religious faiths were
buried there. The local authorities recently
ordered the monument rem owed. and sold 1t to
marble cutter for 1000 francs. The an
nouncement OF the price Mt yesterdays meet-
ing OF tho Town Council caused protest,
whereupon one Of the Councillors arose and
made a violent speech ending with: Sell it
for ZOO. 500. or 100 francs. or give it away II
you can't get rid Of 1t otherwise and throw It
out with every other religious emblem in the
commune"
The audience hailed the sentiment with tu.
multuous applause and dispersed with loud
cries of Down with religion. Long live so.
cialism and the municipality OF St Denis"
Zola announces that when he has completed
three works on which he is now engaged he
will seek y seat In tho Chamber OF Deputies.
He says his investigations into the life OF all
| classes OF the people ought to render his SER
vices valuable although he Is no orator.
The tuberculosis congress discussed obTiga.
tory cremation Of the bodies OF consumptives.
with rather startling results. 1t was asserted
that earthwcrms bring to the surfac, tacili.
which in dry weather spread the Infection a.
dust This fact was proved by placing earths
worms on the graves Of the victims of cons
sumption. The worms became tubercular.
and communicated tho disease to animals II
was suggested that this was why certain
health resorts OF southern Europe arc centres
OF tubercular contagion.