New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-15
TOPICS IN PARIS.
TIE ARREST OF ARToN KEEN POLITICS
M. LOCKROY.
Paris, Dec. >.

PaflS, DcC' -
Ar any other time the deaths Of such men as
Alexandra Dumas ils. Barthelemy Sain'-It'ia'e'
the novelist Arnould and Cardinal bohapai'e
would have monopolized public attention an" ''
terest: but these occurrences have oeen '"'o"'
completely into the shade by the arrest vi
.r,on ~ Panama fame one OF the clcverest OF
political moves When the new bourgeois O"''
net assumed Office the other day the wiseacFes
80 90 nosi,ive Of It's inability 70 command
,reior,,v N the Chambers that It's existence WAS
,or.,dorsd "a a mere matter OF few days.
,,oss,blv to be prolonged by the dissolution Oh
.,a LEGISLATURE and an appeal to the country
NJ Bourgeois thereupon gave orders TOT 'ne nj
res, of Arton who for months had peeh HN'Hs
quietly but without much concealmeh' III o"e
OF the mos, frequented suburbs OF l'""''"'
This not only constituted sort OF an e"iH'f''
Of the Governments promises 10 purify t'e
administration and to investigate all scandals
hut likewise struck with fear and trembling q
large number of politicians both In ana out Oh
the legislature who dreaded that they or their
friends might be compromised by the revelations
of the prisoner. who. as everybody knows, was
FOR years ths recognized lobbyist and distributor
cf parliamentary brides employed by hnancial
and Industrial enterprises in need OF eslsa'lNs
support.
The moment that il known that Arton
was in 1ail and that the Government was pre-
sumably In a position TO secure knowledge OF the
facts which 4 was IN his power to reveal, 'he
contemptuous attitude Of the House changeu
snto one Of deep respect for the Ministers. ana
when. a coupl. cr days later, the Cabinet had
occasion % ask for a vote OF confidence, II re-
ceived one of the largest majorties In the
parliamentary history OF France. Whether this
majority will be maintained Is open TO question
For since this memorable vote the scared poll
tic.ans have been made aware OF the fact that
the warrant the strength of which Arton
has been arrested and for which his exIradition
Is demanded relates to his frauds and dishonesty
in connection with the now defunct dynamite
corpany--frau ds for which ne was sentenced
in 1898 by default 10 twanty years penal serVi-
tude Now according to the terms of every IN
4ernational treaty, extradited prisoner can
be tried and punished only for the particular
offence named in the warrant, and for no other.
unless ne himself Is a conserving party thereto
Thus II Ar.on IL either acquitted at the close Of
his trial for the dynamite company frauds. or II
he IS sentenced to a term Of imprisonment he
cannot be placed on trial FOR anything in con-
nection with the Panama enterprise unless by
hts own consent or course, it will be possible
for the Government to make some arrangement
with him by which he secures a merely nominal
punishment for the dynamite frauds. and then
voluntarily accepts jurisdiction OF the French
courts In connection with the Panama affair,
receiving a promise of immunity in considera
zion OF his disclosures. 1t is the fear of this
that remains the principal source Of strength
bf the Bourgeois Cabinet.
NJ LOcKRoY sNUBS AN ADMIRAL.
Another topic Of conversation during the last
week has been the controversy between NJ. Lock-
roy. the new Minister OF Marine. and Admiral
ho n1Er OF Da III
squadron that visited Cronstadt. and as special
Ambassador to Russia d. the time OF the aces
Sion to the throne Of the present Car, is prob
ably the most conspicuous and popular naval
officer in France On hls return from Cronstadt
the Admirals head was somewhat turned by the
Ovations which he had received at st. Peters
burg and at Moscow. and mis- led him to render
himself guilty Of particularly gross piece OF dis
courtesy to NJ. Lockroy. The latter was presi-
dent OF parliamentary committee appointed 10
investigate the condition of the various dock
yards and naval arsenals and among those
called upon TO give evidence was Admiral Ger
vais. who took 1t into his head TO resent some
remark made by NJ. Lockroy; and when at the
close OF his testimony the latter courteously ex-
claimed that the country proud OF such off,
'Oers and sailors manned the French Navy.
and that he begged the Admiral TO impress the
fact upon all those under his command the Ad-
niral eruffly and rudely replied that neither ne
himself nor the Navy would condescend 10
cept any praise coming from NJ. Lockroy.
The incident created an immense stir az the
hme and in compliance with demand sent by
the president of the Chamber OF Deputies to the
Naval Department. the Minister Of Marine in
Iicted reprimand upon the Admiral. No recon-
Citation has taken place since. and NJ. LOckrOy
had not been more than fortnight Minister Of
Marine in the present Bourgeois Cabinet before
Admiral Gervais While commanding the Medter
xanean squadron, had the misfortune 10 run
aground three Of the finest ironclads OF his feet
while manoeuvering in the Bale de la Badne.
It took nearly week of immense labor and ex-
pense to &c; them anoat again. and as far as is
known. they have sustained but little damage;
but the Admiral has not unnaturally been
lieved Of his command by very curt depart
mental order
". Lockroy is one of the most remarkable men
Of the Cabinet. striking evidence of his in
6ividuaty and character being afforded by the
fact that. In spite Of his being the son-in-law Of
Victor Hugo. his name has never been
shadowed and reegated INTO the background
by the celebrity of the illustrlous poet. He has
distinguished himself IN many walks OF life,
artist. a playwright Asiatic
plorer. politician. and above all jour
ralist More than any other scribe OF the press
does no resemble his friend Rochefort in the in
c!siveness. the piquancy. and the mordant char
ac:er OF his satire and indeed on the boulevards
he used TO De known by the nickname Of Roche
faille," by reason of the similarity OF his style
and conversation to those OF the Marquis de
ROchefort- Luggage. II would be difficult to emu
rnerate the number OF times that ne was i'm
prsoned for offences against the press laws
during the reign OF Napoleon III. 20 whose down
fan he contributed by his writings and speeches
IN marked degree and II while In jail at
Sa.nte Pelagie that he was appointed Editor-in-
Chief Of the "Rappel" Since the death % Victor