News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-06-28
French ooYernments.

Late in the month of May the cab
met of NJ. Casimir- Perier met with a
defeat in the French chamber, and
resigned office. After experiencing
some difficulty in finding any one to
undertake the forming of a new min
istry, President Carnot persuaded
NJ. Dupuy To become prime minister;
and he soon succeeded in constituting
a new cabinet.
it is hardly worth while to attempt
explaining the reasons for the defeat
of M. Casimir-P erier, nor even the
question on which the adverse vote
was given. All observers of the in
cident agreed that the pr me minister
might have averted the defeat ifhe had
chosen to do so; and that he showed
plainly by his course that he desired
the overthrow of his ministry.
The spectacle of one government
after another falling before a chance
majority composed of the odds and
ends of political groups in the French
chamber has now been presented to
the world with irregular frequency
for more than twenty years. The
average life of ministry during that
time has been about eight months.
Yet although the world has seen
these rapid changes taking place
without endangering the republic,
people who watch the political events
Of other countries seem to have been
as greatly astonished by the last
ministerial crisis IS they were by the
first one. A very simple fact will ex-
plain what appears at first a deep
mystery the French people are not
English.
France has a system partly, but
not wholly, borrowed from the En-
glish. The ministers are responsible
to the Chamber of Deputies, as in
Great Britain, but in most other re-
spects the systems that prevail on
the two sides of the Channel are diff
ferent. The French prime minister is
not the chief of the ruling party, he
is not, as the British premier virtual.
ly is, the autocratic dictator of the
policy of the ministry; the ministry
itself is not all of one party; and
neither the premier, nor the ministry
as a whole, commands and governs
a wel-disciplined party.
When a British government is de.
feated, the leader of the opposite
party is called on to form a new
cabinet. The change is radical one
and is a serious matter.
In France a new ministry is made
up of membership of the same groups
as constitute the old ministry, anC
in about the same proportions. The
President of the Council, as the prime
minister is entitled, may exchange
places with a subordinate, aud thC
next month they may exchange bact
again.
Through it all no one in Frame,
thinks that the country is in any
danger. Many foreigners who dc
not sufficiently study the case ar,
more apprehensive than are French
men themselves. All is explained b,
the fact that the government is com
posed of new persons, but the polio,
is not greatly changed. 1t is mereft
as if France chose to put off an ol(
necktie and wear one which, at th,
moment, seems more becoming.
Englishmen find it extremely diff
cult to understand variations, par
ticularly such a radical variation al
this, upon her practice. And Amer
cans who get the most of their for
eign politics at second hand from
London, seem equally to have beer
puzzled.
Just at present every prominent
Frenchman is hoping that some
stroke of fortune will elevate him t,
the presidency upon the expiration
of M. Carnot's term in December
next. Every politician who thinks
he has a chance for that place il
man9uvring for it.
1t is an excellent illustration of thu
difference between English and French
government that if Lord Rosebery
were to be defeated, his party would
probably be excluded from Office fol
several years; but the defeat of M
Casimir- Perier is thought to have
improved his chance for the presi
dency.-Youth's Companion.
The new postal money order, which is tt