New-York tribune., 1895-02-17

present members OF the CndHUer VI ~~F~~'
Probably the French people have no consistent
political ideas aims dividing them into "e"'
defined parties. Certainly the late Administration
was unable to form Moderate or Conservative
Republican majority: and NJ Bourgeois and MS
friends could not persuade themselves that
definitely Radical Administration was possible
in the present temper Of the Chamber The re-
suit is the new Ministry. with NJ Ribot at its
head, which the Journal Oficiel" announces
on Sunday as finally constituted
This puts end to the questions or tnose VINO
have been asking fer two whole weeks: What
would France do, with only ad-nterim govereorss
II some complication should arise along the Ger
man or Italian frontier? Still. that such ques-
ton should have been asked does not tend 10
make the general public more pleased or less dis
gusted with the workings OF Parliamentary gov.
ernment, In which everything depends on the
varying moods Of majority OF irresponsioie
Deputies
A glance at the new Ministry shows that, from
the Premier down. it belongs to the same Oppor-
tunist "concentrat ted" stripe, with definite Rad.
cal shade, which prevailed under the late Presi-
dent Carnot Half Of the new Minister'S includ-
ing NJ Ribot President OF the Council are known
Opportunsts who have always kept the middle OF
the Republican road without turning aside to
Conservatives on the one side or Socialists on the
other The other half are notorious Radicals, but
Of the Opportunist not Socialist, persuasion.
More surprising, however, than the sudden re-
vival of the policy which such combination rep
resents and which was thought to be dead. Is the
personal character of the new Ministry. one mas
only to go through the list OF names 10 Ioresee
that persons not politics. will be the butt OF Par-
liamentary opposition for some time to come
NJ. Ribct (who. by-the-way. is married 10 an
American from Chicago was Prime Minister once
before, in the thick OF the Panama exposures
Even then while Republican regulations were oe-
ing lost or soed by suspicious contact on every
side, no one dreamed of attacking Ribot person.
ally but only in his friends and policy Of yielding
to blackmail. The chief complaint against MS
Administration was that it did not show the con-
tnuous energy required under the circumstances
Perhaps the same fault will be found now-when
the budget Is safely voted.
NJ Ribot has one real superiority over all his
possible rivals. This Is his superb parliamentary
training He is now ffty-three years OF age.
tall. spindle-shanked. slightly bald and gray.
with a sharp that gives defniteness 10 the
ra ther smile of his bearded face, like the
strong simple reasoning which makes up for
the lack OF eloquence in his somewhat feeoie
voice. Before he was TWENTY-FIVE ne had aireauy
taken his university degree as doctor in law ana
Ucentiate Uhe highest degree in course next 10
DOCTOR in letters and had been admitted TO the
order Of advocates. wfose exclusive tradiuons AT
the Bar no revolution has succeeded In breaking
down. At twenty-eight he held nigh Govern
ment Office C'Substitut') In the Paris courts;
whence he migrated to be director OF crimihai
came a member OF that curious. but most nonoi,
able of all French political bodies, the Councn
Of State which ought to decide Questions or d,s-
puted Jurisdiction among the different branches
OF Government. II was the refusal OF tne Depu-
ties to recognize one of its recent decisions IN
volvng a Ministry of the eighties IN wnicn ~
Casimir-P Perier was a subordinate decision ac-
ceptable to the Dupuy Cabinet which precipi-
tated the recent Crisis. .,. II, ,r
Finally In 1878. at the age OF thirty-siX; IA
Rihot was elected Deputy. and remained In Par-
Lament for seven years. 1t was the storm time
OF MacMahon's fall and The succeeding years
when the anti-clerical trend was denhiteiy sNe"
10 Republican legislation in France Dy EaW'
betta and Jules Ferry. Then for TWO years piac'
tical politics passed him by until new eiecuon.
in 1887 brought him into the Parlamehl Mp.n ,i.i
made Carnot President. With the latter, ponu'
cally at least ne long in sympathy, ana IN
due time became "Ministrable. .x.,
NJ Ribot was first Minister OF Foreign Anaiis
in 1890 which office he chose for himself again
at the of 1892. in the nrst OF the lmo Si,r
istres over which ne pressaea pa ,ha ssns;tiye
popular Imagination by showing openly MS
preference for an English over Russian alii-
ance He will doubtless have to explain him-
self many times over on this point. in the com.
ing sessions Of Parliament Napoleon sad Una.
the ruling OF the people consists quite as nuSn
in appealing to their imagination as 10 tne,r
sef-interest Now all that Is enthusiastic IN
French patriotism dotes on Russia ana na.es
perfdious Albion. Later on, Prime !N" M,,tstsr
Rihot had the lack of tact to speak douoiuuy
in Parliament of the conduct or french AM
bassador abroad. This Is known 10 nav re-
yolted the correct" President Carhot asalns,
him and II led &c his exit from all Ministerial
snheres Politicians blamed him In somewhat
the same way for casting his other suooIul-
mates Ministers Rouvier and jules tocne, ohsi
q, tho tender mercies of the Panama Commis-
sion Cyrics have said. with some show OF rea-
son in the event. that this was an enecti'e way
Of shielding them. . ,,,.o. ., Lart
in the BACKGROUND as a simple Deputy. MS
choice by the new President for the FORMATION
of a Cabinet indicates. In public opinion, the
To vhi
duced the Executive power II was 10 De eA.
pected that the Radical Socialists would ieao
off in e attack on tne new Ft "a fnresee other
and more widespread anmosities In the near
future. . ,,ra-
Among those who have consented TO stand
and fall-with the new Prime Minister the eN-
tremes are represented by NJ Georges Leysues
who was Minister of Public instruction IN M .ne
Interior and NJ. Dupuy-Dutemps. VINO must
himself be amazed at being SO UNEXPECTEDLY
chosen Minister of Public Works
NJ Leagues bald. aesthetic-looKihg anu uhues
forty has actually published Voiuine ol
noems Ru. he IS the only French Minister
who for sixteen years has dared Od 10 ha alone
the name of God In Parliament, ana ne aIon1 ,
had the nerve to bring 10 an end the scauai
of the co-educational Communist orphan ass
lum OF Cempuis. which former Au'n,,a,se,s'N rs NI
had inspected-and continued to suppor.. VI,
Dupuy-Dutemps is prosaic country lawyer ol
forty-eight. small in stature out WIN "a a ro. o,s
Hack beard and very fat Yet this good.na.-
nred looking body brs,les like any porcupine
when a priests gown is to he SEEN In spIse
If his being a faithful follower OF NJ. brsssun. h
N Dupuy -Dutemps is not Rad'cai Oh tne
sort 10 reconcile Socialists to the new Ad"in.ss
tration They long ago learned thaiant ina, amt
clericalsm while 1t has served as cun' On, aaiiv
Radical war cry, has little 10 90 VII" ''e ''
critical problems OF government - g., th.
In sum. this is The thirty-fourth cnanss Gsrnment m
Executive branch Of the rrenrh Th,rd Renublic
s;nca tho Foundation of the Thiru nnpn.;nn
twenty- four years ago. The average a,, n,ontbs
Of one Administration has been ,,a1y eEn 70 break
The new Ministry seems niue ""'''
the record by length OF days
y ELECTION ~ KANSAS cIrK