The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-10-11
FRANCE TIRED OF GLORY.
1t Costs Too Much, and It Keeps the
Common People Hungry.

Harold Frederic in New York Times.
President Faure has had eight pretty
quiet months OF II. Indications multiply
now that his qualities are to be put TO a
sharper test Gossips predict that
ldeck-Rosseau will be chosen
president of the senate. that the ccrutin
de liste will be readopted, and that Cons
tans. returning TO the ministry of the IN
terror, Will manage the new elections and
SO secure a powerful reactionary major
ity. These are all familiar prophecies.
Their appearance now merely signifies
that the politicians are getting ready tor
another shuttle OF the ministerial cards.
There is. however. practical as well as
a sentimental issue impending in French
politics. The national debt now amounts
to $1,000. o00, 600, and the deficits increase
every year. while new taxation seems
practically impossible. In good times the
French do not mind this. but accept IL
cheerfully as the price that they must
paw for their dream of recovering Alsace
and Lorraine, but the permanent had
times which settled down upon France
for FIVE years of stupid protection nave
wrought a tremendous material mischief.
The new statistical report of the ministry
Of finance reveals a worse situation than
ever. Up to 1850. when high tariff was
adopted, the French foreign trade showed
a steady annual gain: since then x has
sustained an even worse and more reg1i-
lar dimnution, the total falling off in the
four years OF combined exports and I'M
ports being over $3.50. COZ, 900. What makes
the thing harder to bear is the spectacle OF
Germany's constant material advance. In
1850 Frances total foreign trade exceeded
Germany's by ST., 900 GEO; now, on the ilg-
ures for 1894, Germany's total exceeds
Frances by $40, goo 600.
In the face or this immense shrlnkage
OF the natural resources. with the ruin
Gus losses Of Panama fresh in mind. and
the certainty that new burdens must be
laid on the public TO meet these huge
bills for colonial expansion, II would not
he surprising IL the French middle class
began 20 look askance at the Russian al
lance which is based 50 largely on the
theory that France has iliimitable money
to lend and which is so fertile In sueceS-
ton for scattering gold in all directions.
Thoughtful men who have not been pes
siraists heretofore. like Jules Roche. are
ootnting out now that France cannot
rear the load that she IL carrying. let
alone embark I'm fresh adventures. This
feeling that a change of some sort must
Ne made IS undoubtedly growing. II may
result IN substituting for the Rioot cabi-
net more cautious and economical al
rninistratiou quite as likely IT may serve
az an added argument to the hotheads
who urge that t Is delay which Is sap
ping Frances strength and who burn 10
precipitate an Armageddon
AZ al events. the French arHor for
spending money is just now az iow ebb,
and IL IS suspected that the king Of the
pelgians finds less eager bidding for his
KonEo title than Doe expected. lie Is
san In Parts. and Be ia noted that he Is
'aking extraordinary pains 20 make HIM
ser popular I'm the streets and in public
gatherings. II is legitimate TO guess.
80. that he has not believed al that he
has heard about the ircorrupthility OF
al E.~f..
Tim with enthusiasm. There IS "a good
deal OF talk about his willingness 70
throw I'm Belgian friendship AS consid-
Grafton 70 the koneo bsrealn hut this IS
very empty nonsense ReleiuUs neutral
itv between it's Uig reighbors - literally
she breath 81 re- nnstrilS. - Il -ent--re-
70 nav the ~ra'tost frtek with that Ger
many wou'2 crush u ti'-e fy on z name
an aU Intelligent prosperous Be,gians
coorp-f herd this perfectly