Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-03-13

titude toward them was so Extensively hos
tile that course Of relentless aggressive
ness was practically forced upon the So
cialist members, notwithstanding which
they found time for much gallant work in
directing the sluggish current Of middle
class legislation.
Jules Guesde, for instance, successfully
supported the increase and better gradua-
ton of the death duties against the deter
mined opposition Of Leon Say. Valiant,
during the alcohol debate unsuccessfully
pleaded for the naturalization Of distill-
cries. Courant and Chauvin fought for i'm
provements in the speed and comfort of
workmens trains. Dejeant, Con-
slant, Sembat and Lazy worked
for better mining laws, evening
opening of museums, the appointment Of
Government auditors for railway COM
panies' books, sanitary measures in the
State match factories, an eight hours .
day, and cause law to be passed compell-
ing employers to take back, for at least six
week. employment, workman returning
from his twenty eight days. drill.
The main efforts of the group, however,
consisted necessarily in an incessant agita-
ton against the gross corruption prevailing
among the members of all parties, and
winked at, if not always connived at, by
the ministers themselves.
The downfall of Dupuy was brought
about by the persistent efforts Of Mile
rand to obtain the release of Gerault-
Richard, detained in prison even after
his election to the chamber, and by the
scathing attacks of Rouannet upon the
corrupt magnates of the Legion Of Honor,
coupled with the denunciatians by Miller
and of the Government unpatriotic con-
cessions to the grasping railway com
panies.
The Ribot ministry, following in the
footsteps of their predecessors, stuhbornly
endeavored to ignore the Socialists, but
inevitably found themselves obliged to
cover under their we'll directed attacks
or to strain the Constitution in vain efforts
to silence them.
At one time they were being dashed by
Janres and Rouannet IN the face of the
country on the subject of corrupt land con-
cessions in the colony of Algeria, and the
chemin de fer du Sud scandals. At another
time Rouannet was compelling them for
very shame to withhold for a year their
ratification of the exorbitant postal subven-
tions to the Compahgnie Transatlantique.
Later ON Vlgne d'Octon, Jaures. Pas
chal, Grousset, Chauvlere and Gerault-
Richard (now released) were exposing the
official incapacity in the Madagascar expe'
dition, by which hundreds of lives had been
wasted before shot had been fired, and
showing the whole war to be at bottom
financial jobbery; at the same time proving
the financiers interested, who were loudly
talking of patriotism, to be forming cor
ners in the markets from which the army
drew supplies.
Finally over the Carmaux question the
whole Socialist group was theoretically
fighting for the workers. cause, when
suddenly amid derisive hootings from Lille
to Toulon, Ribot fell even more ignomious
ly than Dupuy.
A new ministry now appeared under the
leadership Of Bourgeois, a ministry eco
opposed to Socialism, but tact
ically neutral with regard to them, and
resolved to purge the floor Of
the House and raise French oificialism to
level of comparative honesty by scattering
the bribers and the bribed whom the
Socialists had been denouncing.
The ministers absorbed in carrying their
task have found the Soci lists on their side,
and the Socialists finding themselves in the
upwonted role of supporters of the govern
ment, to whom indeed they had become in
have kept their independence
and voted consistently with the government
whilst declaiming any alliance with it.
What the next step will be no one knows,
but it is clear that the Socialist group in
the Chamber is entering upon a career of
new responsibilities in which it may have
the opportunity Of giving a noble lead to
the democracies of the world.
JAMES LEAKEY.