New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-29
TOPICS IN PARIS.
,,rcrnrvr rArrRp AND THE MADAGAS-
CAR cAMpArGN-hIs PROPOSED
RUSSIAN VISIT.
Paris. September 20.

n IL clear that President Faure does ho' ''''
10 allow his position with the public 10 De III '"y
way impaired by the growing unpopu'a''' o'
the Madagascar campaign. The detais Oo'0'
ing the mismanagement OF the latter nave
cd a universal and widespread feeiing Vi i"''e""
ton against the Government, an ihuis"" nv
h,,,er than has ever been displayed in connection
with the Tonouin enterprise. Indeed IL IL UNI
or,, 20 600 how the Ribot Cabinet, which Is most
uniustly sadded with the blame VIII De aoie 10
survive the meeting OF the Chambers ana al
,horah tho President has given his consent to the
os,norsment ~ the reopening thereof for fort-
,o,, w,,b the object OF thus giving time Tor the
r.,,.o, ~ the news of some brilliant victory, yet
- Ia generaly felt here that the Administration ~
doomed It will thus pay the penalty OF the er-
roro % tho Dupuy Cabinet. which preceded IL III
Hos and which alone should be burdened WIN
ub,ic odiun1 in the matter Its fall VIII be wiue-
l., rogratted for never has France at any time
| s,nce the proclamation of the Republic possesseu
q more capable Premier than NJ Rioo'' nor d
| more successful Foreign Minister than NJ haho-
| taux
| With the object OF disassoclating In the eyes
| OF the nation his own responsibility from '"e
| incredible blunders which have been cohHiit'eu
| in connection with the Madagascar campaign
President Faure three days ago caused MS iiienu
| rrrast Daudet the brother Of the famous novel
ist 70 publish IN one Of the great daily metropoh-
| tan newspapers the story OF the part WHO" IL
| nlaved in the affair 1t seems that Whiie NJ ""s
| still Minister Of Marine in the Dupuy CABINET NJ
Faure had made all the arrangements ana pia"9
! for the reduction Of Madagascar TO suofn'ssio''
| :. os bou,ever 70 be undertaken on much
| smaller but certainly on far more placuC"'
colo only the seasoned troops Of the Marine De-
| urall a
| Colonial regiments. mostly composed Of natives
| Of Africa. being employed. The expedition was
| 70 he placed under the direction Of General Bor-
| gnis des Bordes man who, having served MS
| entire career in the Infanter de Marine Is pet
| Ter suited than anybody else to command such
| a, exnedition both as regards experience ana
| nhvsinue Premier Dupuy and the colleagues Oh
| NJ Faure however would not near OF the APP
pointment Of so brilliant a man AS Borgms ceS
| Bordes. expressing the fear that they wouiu
| merely be saddng another General Boulanger
| on their backs. Nor would they permit the APP
| pointment Of that other General. Dodds by name
who has won 80 much glory and popularity III
connection with the military operations or the
| Last few years on the west coast OF Africa Gen
eral Dodds since his successful invasion or pa
| honey and his overthrow Of the dusky potentate
whose empire had become a byword throughout
| the world in consequence OF its human sacrlIices
| and cannibasm. has been persstently employed
| on distant and unimportant missions, apparently
with the object of giving the people time TO forget
| him before he has an opportunity or taxing any
political advantage of the popularity that fol-
| lowed his successes in the field. At the present
moment. when he would be invaluable in NADIA
| gascar ne Is engaged in inspecting the coal
mines Of New Caledonia. at the very opposite end
| Of the world
Instead Of either OF these two Generals. the
| Cabinet to which NJ Faure belonged insisted on
| nominating to the command an excessively stout
| General Of the name of Duchesne gallant OH
| Ger. It is true but whose phenomenal embon-
point and lack OF experience of tropical countries
as we'll as Of warfare with unciviliZed nations
rendered him most unfit for the post At the
| same time the Minister of War demanded that
| the expedition should be confided to the Depart
| ment OF War in lieu Of that to which NJ Faure
belonged and the consequence was that instead
| Of Colonial and Marine troops being employed.
| men Of mature age and in every particular well
| suited for the task. the force was composed al
most exclusively of regiments formed Of young
fellows not mere than couple Of years with the
| colors who were merely performing their term of
obligatory military service
| NJ FATRE DIsGUSTED.
| II seems from NJ. Daudets account that NJ
| Faure was so much disheartened by the behavior
Of his colleagues that he availed himself OF the re-
| lection Of his scheme to tender the resignation
| Of his portfolio to President Casimr-Perier, but
| allowed himself to be persuaded by the atter's
| appeal to his patriotism to retain his seat in the
cabinet. at any rate temporarily. Soon after
! ward the crisis took place which resulted in the
| resignation OF NJ Casimlr-Perler ana the eIectoh
| Of VI. Faure in his stead.
So much for the Presidents share in the re-
sponsibty Of the msmanaged Madagascar ex-
| petition 1t will be from this that 1t is
| small: and ii is idle to deny that since the publ
| cation of NJ Daudets article NJ Felix Faure's
| popularity which had sadly waned during the
| last few weeks has gone up 100 per cent at the
expense IL is to be feared Of that OF his constiu-
| tonal advisers, namely. the Minister'S past ana
| even present. What confirms people still fur
| Their in their belief that an entire change or Co.
| lonial policy is contemplated is that during the
| last two days President Faure has been In fire.
| auent consultation with General Borgnis des
Bordes with a view possibly Of sending the latter
| cut To Madagascar to redeem the situation and
to restore at any rate. some order in the chaos
which is reported to prevail there among the
| French troops
| Another bid for popularity on the part or the
| President during the week has been ms presence
| at the grand manoeuvres In the company OF the
| Russian General Dragomiron. with whom .'e
| showed himself everywhere. for the General ow-
ing to his generous corpulence was unable to re-
main for any length Of time in the saddle and
consequently followed the operations OF the troops
| from the Presidential carriage with Felix Faure
| by his side The Russian officers aroused tre-
| mendous enthusiasm wherever they appeared,
| and there is no doubt that President Faure de-
| rived a considerable amount Of benefit from this
| enthusiasm. Then too he manifested so intelli-
gent an interest in the welfare Of the soldiers.
visiting their bivouacs. inspecting their canton
ments, tasting their food and chatting with them
about one subject and another that he completely