The morning call., 1893-09-24
A WHIM OF PARIS
Puts France in Peril as
of Old.
FRENCHr1EN ARE FREEMEN
And Will Show 1t by Disregard
of the Cars Will.
-RENCHrIEN ARE FREEMEN
THE MINISTRY MAY SPOIL SPORT
Though RuSsia's Dislike to the Pro-
posed Demonstration Has Aroused
Strong Resentment.

New YORK. Sept. 23-Harold Frederic
cables the Times from London: OF all the
strange contrasts presented between the
Parliament at London and the Congress
at Washington none is more curious than
in their respective methods of winding up
the session. Instead Of all that eager
furry and stout-luDged, bustliDg rivalry,
tnat turning back of the clock. and that
racing through legislative arrears which
we know at home, the scene here is one of
depressing decorum witnessed by mere
handful of the least imrortant members.
The explanation of this is that the Govern
ment ssiZes all the time during say the
final fortnight, so there can be no other
business than estimates and supply anG
except for few disputatlous cranks there
are no attractions.
month ago Chamberlain was rash
enough TO declare that this year these ap-
preparations should be obstructed inch by
inch, and the discussion of them extended
indefinitely. but the Tory m members quietly
notified Balfour that they were following
him and not Cham berlain, and unless he
said so they would not remain in Lon
don during September merely TO make
quOrums for the display Of Birmingham
malignity. 1t is much suspected that Bal
four did more than wink the other eye,
because for the past three weeks he and
Chamberlain have played BOX and Coz"
in the House, neither appearing unless the
other was known TO be absent. Chamber
lain never opened his mouth on the eSti-
mates and there will be no obstruction
at all.
The net result OF the session thus far
seems TO be feud between these leaders
of the allied Tories and Liberal Unionists
They began the year by loud boasts that
Gladstone's coalition would go to pieces
before midsummer Instead OF that. it is
their own alliance which gives ominous
signs of disruption. Apparently Churchill
has petered out altogether. SundrY per-
formances at the outset of the session gave
rise TO the idea that he was going TO make
a esperate bid for a return to peTform-
aBee, aud though bis displays have been
eccentric, sometimes 10 the verge of the
painful, there was general disposition to
receive him WELL But for some reason he
soon lapsed into voieeless inaction. and it
Is taken for granted that he will never do
anything serious again.
Aside from the abortive home-rule
demonstration this long. weary session has
done practically nothing but pass the
unlawful Enclosures act, which after
thirty years struggle has finally put
1t out of the power of LANDLORDS
to fence in and grab for their own
the common lands on the sides of ancient
highways and other public grounds. This
is an admirable reform no doubt, but
hardly a commensurate result for eight
months of arduous labor of go legislators.
Probably it is modern journalism, with
its contempt for diplomatic reserves. which
makes the difference. but certainly it
seems as if there could never in the past
have been anything so funny as this long
drawn out process of getting the French
republic and the Russian autocracy into
double harness. All the rest of Europe
was expected to be awed and frightened at
the spectacle. bur such is the intractabIlity
of human nature that the rest s chueklug
with childlke glee instead. A week ago /
commented on the fears that French en-
thusiasm couldn't be kept up over whole
month till the Russian feet arrived. Now
the boot Is quite on the other leg.
The Russian Minister at Paris, Baron
Mohrenheim, has publicly notified the
Press Committee of the Cars desire that
there be no public celebration whatever
beyond replica of the meager programme
observed when the French were at Cron-
stadt. If anything more is done, and if
the Russian fleets visit is turned into
manifestation against the enemies of
France, insinuated rather than openly
said this imperial mouthpiece, the Gar
will be very angry and perhaps the whole
fat will be in the fire.
This douche has both disgusted and
enraged the effervescing Partisan editors.
Some of them preserve naughty silence,
but others are so nettled at the impertl-
pence that they Indignantly declare that
the French people are freemen, not slaves
like the Russian moujiks, and cannot
dream of taking an order from the Gar as
to the character and measure of the greet
ing they will give his fleet. In this same
democratic spirit OF protest the Municipal
Council of Paris voted yesterday by only
five dissenting voices to send a delegation
TO Toulon. Socialist Valiant taking occa-
sion to protest on his part against any
toadying to the Russian autocrat, but rhe
Council also decided to give banquet of
600 covers in the Hotel de Vile on the day
of the Russian officers arrival in Paris,
and to do a lot OF other things. all of
which, it is assumed. the Ministry, which
ia always at work upholdng the interests
Of France against the whims of Paris, will
forbid their doing at all.