The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-13
FRENCH POLITICS.
Considered From the Standpoint of
Political Hygiene.

COnslueFeu from the STANDPOINT OF
Political Hygiene.
Editor Morning News: In yesterdays is
sue, an editorial headed Queer Features
of French Politics" you hold that it would
be hard to match in any other country the
queer features of the politics of France
Speaking of the misdoings of Mr.. Faure's
father-in-law you say that in this country
ones grandfather may have some in
huence upon ones political and social ca
reer, but the doings Of fathers-in-law and
sons-in-law are not regarded as of any
consequence" You may be right, and, in
fact, feel quite sure that you are right
in such statement, but what must we
think of this assertion, what does ii prove,
if not that France has the sentiment of
honor much more developed than we Amer
leans have? Leaving altogether outside of
the question, President Faure whose pri-
vate character is but enhanced by the mis-
deed of his father-in-!aw which, IT Is said,
deserving his wife after having squandered
her fortune, a fact which did not prevent
Mr. Faure from marrying without any
because he thought rightly, in his inner
most conscience. that an innocent girl
ought not to be held responsible for the
misdeeds of her father. Let us consider
the question from the higher standpoint
of political hygiene, that is to say, under
the most serious aspect II may bear. Much
Is
and that not without reason. As the indi-
vidual man, so the social body is subject
to diseases, of which corruption is doubt
less the most serious. For the HIS tnat al
nict the collective body Just as for those
that affiict the individual, each
PRACTITIONER prrettends he rero can pr st
least a palliative, but in the case of the
Individual supposing that the worst symp-
toms be overcome, how are we 70 s expect
has been eradicated? and how is this cause
to be eradicated so long as we entertain
and support it with our vices and disor-
that we can hope to radically cure the NAL
aides of our organization. There is an by
individuals, So long as its precepts have
not been clearly indicated, so long as they
are not intelligently followed, corruption
will not disappear from the political body.
The most universal and indispensable
condition of life is the exercise or the
faculties. To do nothing. or to do as
away, to cease to live. This is as true OF
the collective body as of the individual;
and for the one, as for the other, It is
p pious development of the facul-
ties; the equilibrium 4bs Functions ena co S1-
we to know if society discharges its func-
tions regularly and exercises its faculties
properly? By those acts by which II should
abled to Judge of its own progress.
nation may be subjected to rigorous tyr
amy and yet contain WITHIN ltse1 the
against an external enemy necessitates
the concentration of power IN the hands
of one person, the despotlsm imposed Is
not always a sign of degradation; put II
il accepts 1t as a definite condltion OF It's
existence, then it soon. becomes nothlns
more than a mass or decay given up 10
dissolution, in which each human mole.
Guile obeys only the instincts and lusts OF
egoism. Such is to-day the condition OF
the Mussulman population, VINO I'VE only
to Cypress, and are, in turn, supJect 70 lne
most brutal oppression. The Greek slaves
who revolt against them may be as lg-
norant and given up 70 as gross SUI tho
efforts they make to obtain national
autonomy prove that they are not cor
rupt and that they are capable OF lorm-
ing an independent people.
The greater part of the nations or mod
ern Europe, by raising themselves little
by little, or by revolutionary SHOCKS, from
tHe system of absolutism to that of con-
stitutional or representative government,
have shown their normal vitality ana thelr
progressive power II one or announcer ol
march and becomes enslaved, symptoms
of corruption Immediately manifest them.
selves. The most memoraple eHanlple oi
such a fall is that given by imperial
France. The long and terrible wars OF
the revolution against the combined kings,
explained, without {usnIy,ins' me rbe eonse-
able, and the assent which
the nation seemed to give to
the fatal enterprises of Napoleon might
be considered as a sign OF an lrpen nr faiI
BILE decadence. When the emperor 1el
France recovered its nteiI ,s dsact ane
governments, those of the restoration ana
fhe monarchy of July, which tended TO
falsify principles. but when had not Ine
strength necessary to succeed, she con-
tinually developed her autonomlc power
and finished by discovering that she was
capable OF exercising Irn n The the elorious pc
Rod of this attempt that she sunereo 5 Iuoln
the second attack Of imperialism. Inen
again 1t was feared that she Woulo IAN
a nrev TO this horrible malady whose
svmptorns were worse than during the
first attack, for material appetites ana
selfish lust were not redeemed as at the
commencement of the century, by GER
tain military heroism, and by a klho OF
patriotic intoxication 1t requlred noth-
ing less than the terrors OF the RUSSIAN
in9asion ia arouse her and to make her
feel the necessity to will and TO act 1or
and by herself and to give her the strsnsIn
and the resolution TO govern herselL. II
is this strength and this resolution which
the republic represents. IL Is IN tne Be
rious discussions, in the conunual laDols
necessitated by this form OF soVeInhlenyt,
that France has found her salvation; IL
is by the healthy agitation OF pohtlcai
life that she banishes lndiheiehce and
idleness whose seductive bats Would
draw her toward the ways of corruption.
But the republican form OF government
rs not always sure pfeseTNdtifes DS-
cause II Is not always based on virtue, as
Is proved by the United states. where
more is said about corruption than IN
any other country in the world. we 10
rot wish TO say, however, from this tnat
the evil Is greater here than elsewhere;
II is certainly less than IN monarchleal
countries; for as soon as II IS dlscoNerel,
nay as soon as II r. suspected, II rs or
once submitted 10 public scrutiny ~ an
absolutely free press, and becomes The
object Of vigorous inquiries, when eA-
pose IN broad daylight its smallest dftaNfi
whereas, under a royal or Imperial s0t-
eminent, the sovereign authority, depehi-
Ing upon ~ privilege, has every ln,ff-
ct ln banlahing the light, ana ih lafh'tl-
Ing those researches which would snake
ifF very existence