The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-11
To be- 10 more privileged classes tn
France but that all Fronchmen stood as
eoitals before the law.

! To be 10 more privileged classes IN
France but that all Fronchmen stood as
equals before the law.
The strong man was the sine qua non
10 restoration of order, social bonds. anu
,,oaoe :, France when that fearful orgy
OF crime and plumber had run It's course,
and that strong man appeared IA me
person of Napoleon Bonaparte' BONA
parte reconstructed French society. ana
he laid ont It's new foundations broadly
and with a prodigious Intelligence OF
certain sort. But While Bonapar'e was
the embodiment Of human energy ana
capacity TO read riddles and solve the
immediate questions of the day that mas
never been equalled by any man. he
knew not that essence OF government
that knows nothing but Justice his mind
was fatally defective in grasp Of those
unvarying and general principles on
which all lasting government must be
built that look TO perfect justice and
| equality between man and man as the
only foundation for government that can
! last. His defects are singularly illus
| trated by the virtues Of his contemporary,
Washington. Washington knew no in
| spiratlon in public affairs but to see
state Of things in which the country was
| governed by a fixed law that accorded
equal rights to all It's citizens. Bona
partc thought of The government first,
and Of the citizens only as government
might see fit to treat him. His cduca-
ton had been entirely military, and it
! hid fixed his mind I'm the channel of un-
questioning and unreasoning obedience TO
authority being the basis upon which all
order must rest.
When he came 10 supreme authority he
found a nation committed TO his rule In
a state Of mind prepared for what ne
wanted TO do in every respect The
masses had been slaves and they know
| nothing of government. They had over
thrown and murdered their opprcssors. 1t
is true. but they were incapable Of set
ting up a new rule. and as soon as first
excuses had satiatod them. they were
ready 10 relapse and fall again under
despotic rule, the only one they had ever
known The people were pottcrs clay I'm
his hand, and he was a past master for
fashioning them to his viii.
1t was the dream of Bonaparte's life 90
found a dynasty which should rule over
France for long II not for all time.
If succeeding Bonapartes Were as strong
as ne they would be able 10 rule by their
own strength. But what would happen If
weak BOnapartes succeeded 20 the throne?
He would provide Tor them by the insti-
tutions he would found. He would turn
all French thought towards the govern
ment as the source whence every right.
every privilege. every joy was TO pro-
coed. This is the key 10 every act OF
Bonaparte's while he ruled the French
people. II Is 10 be found everywhere,
but il is more signally illustrated IN the
system OF education that he established
than anywhere else. An imperial uni
versity was founded by him which IS. I'm
all essential respects. to-day just as II
came from his hands. It's professors were
all appointed by the throne, 1t taught
nothing but ideas Of Capitalization; all
private schools were discouraged. and the
people were encouraged TO send their chill
dren 10 the minor public schools. all I'M
der the direction and control OF the I'm
perial University; and 90 the French child
was 10 be taught. and has been taught
from his infancy upwards that he was
to look to his government as the fouu-
tain Of all good. and 10 repose upon It
as his mainstay at all times Bonaparte
correctly foresaw the inevitable result Of
such a system in making the French
depend upon government for everything
but the military training Of his mind
made him fan to see that this very train
ing would make them utterly Indifferent
to the personnel of government, but in
terested only in the governmental ma
chine that each one would want TO have
a hand in managing.
The inevitable result OF the policy which
Bonaparte inaugurated is now upon the
French people They have been trained
to believe that government is everything,
but also to understand that each citizen
should have every right that any other
pne must have, ard, therefore that
every one should take an interest In the
the government in order that be might
get his fun share Of the public swag.
France has. therefore, logically become
poisoned with socialism; corruption stalks
from one end of the land to the other;
public virtue IS practically ended; the
public service is honeycombed with rot
tenness, and what is to be Frances iu-
ture no man can foretoll. But she is to-
day 10 example 10 follow. She Is a hea-
con light to warn.