The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-02-11
The Moral of Republicanism in France.

tFrom Harper's Weekly.l
 M Faure, who has just been chosen to replace M. Perier, though man ot not little political experience, has never been known as an aspirant tc
 the leadership of a party. His election
 in the recent crisis is another confirma- tion of the central truth of republican politics, that everybody is wiser than
 anybody. He is the first president
 France has had who seemed to be in touch with the masses of the French
 people, and who believed that govern
 ment has something to do of even
 greater importance than making war
 and Academieians. In a country
 where universal suffrage prevails, as in
 France, the government must inevita-
 bly, sooner or later come to represent
 the average intellectual and moral
 forces of the people who make it. The
 more uniform their moral and intellec-
 tual standards, the more harmonious
 will they dwell together, and the less
 acrimonious their political differences,
 while the reverse will be the case the
 more their standards differ. Of the
 thirty-seven millions of people in
 France when the republic was pro-
 claimed in 1871, less than half could
 read and write, and of these less than
 half could read well enough to make
 the accomplishment of much use to-
 them. Three-quarters at least of the
 population Knew little or nothing of politics. save what they picked up at cabarets or was communicated to them by the clergy. The other quarter em- braced the court, the professionals and what are known as the middle class. When these classes from the opposite poles of the political magnet came to share the franchise, and on equal terms of course there was the widest possible diversity of views in regard to the func ions and duties of govern ment and so little experience in self government had the French enjoyed that very sensible men might divide upon the question whether the three quarters or the one-quarter were the safest trustees of political power. No one of the previous presidents of France has been, in cordial sympathy with the illterate class, nor would either, probably, have extended to it the franchise had it been in his power to prevent it. It Is these antagonizing interests. which the late president had no faculty, if any disposition, to recon cile, that subjected him to what, from this distance and with our present lights, looks like a rather ignominious 
 It Is a conspicuous evidence of the spread of political intelligence among the people of France, and the develop ment of practical statesmanship among their representatives, that in looking for a successor to Perier they chose man of the people as well as a man of affairs; a man who believes that the true way and the only way to admins ter a popular government is by inclin- Ing before the peoples mandate, and not by trying to impose an individuals 1r a factions ideal against the will of ] manifest majority. In inviting M. to form ministry, M. Faure l showed that he did not propose to gov- ern the republic by the votes of an Ac- i ldemic minority. This policy ought to | ,onciliate support to his administra- ion, especially if the Chambers sup | port him. Whatever may be the fate | if M. Bourgeois, and even should the | Chambers falter in their support, their iuccessors are likely to be re-enforced rom the popular constituencies, who Ire every year acquiring juster conn ,rehension of their rights as well as of heir true interests. As a necessary every year the political bought and aspirations of the nation re becoming more homogeneous, while xtremists of every class are finding it nore and more difficult to get the ear r sympathies of the nation. Of this he election of M Faure furnishes im- ortant and gratifying evidence.