The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-01
MELINE AND HIS MINISTER'S.
The New Premier Makes a Statement
of His Policy.


Paris, April S0.-M. Neline, president OF
the new council OF ministers. made a state
ment Of the policy OF the new cabinet in
the Chamber Of Deputies to-day The
chamber received the statement very
coIdly, scarcely half Of the deputies ap-
plauding his utterances, and the socialists
interposing their accustomed Interrupt
tions. The new primer began by saying
that he would not attempt TO disguise the
difficulty of the task before him and his
colleagues.
But" he said. there are times when
politicians who are devoted to their coun-
try have no right to shirk the burdens Of
office. We impose upon ourselves the pol
icy Of pacification and will endeavor to
restore harmony among the public pow
ers which is Indispensable.
THE chamber exercises dominant ac-
tion in the general direction of politics"
he continued, but it is impossible TO leg
islate and govern without the cooperation
of the Senate"
N. Meline then made an appeal for re-
ciprocal good will toward the ministry on
the part Of the Chamber. which, he said,
would solve and settle all discords. He
was convinced, he said that the chamber
was resolved to shelve all differences and
devote its efforts TO the establishment Of
democratic reforms and pass laws IN the
interest Of the working classes. Ihe
surest means of putting an effectual bar
in the way of revolution, ne declared,
would be 10 remain faithful to the tradl-
ton that justice and solidarity form the
rampant of the republican party.
NJ. Meline placed the fiscal reforms be-
fore the chamber as matters of first i'm
portance. Probate laws, and the laws reg
ulating the traffic in drink, he said, would
he introduced in the budget ana would be
operated under a system which dispensed
with an inQuisitor or any other arbitrary
measures and assure a better division Of
the direct taxation, thus relieving small
tax payers. The government, ne sa-d,
would Vigilanuy apply the ECONOMICS
which the nation demands and Simplify
the present complicated administrator.
They would also spare no effort to aid the
interests Of agriculture, to compete Ihe
national defense, to regulate the hours OF
labor and the liability of employers, and
TO organize pension funds.
The prosperity of the nation, he declar-
ed, depended upon parliament abandoning
sterile legislation and limlunG IT'S lapors 10
such legislation as would serve the inter
ests of the working classes. The stagna-
tion of business had chiefly been
row policy. order and the pro-
gress of labor was imperative and
equally advantageous in home and foreign
affairs. France, he said, IS weary oI asl-
ration and wants a truce from enfeeDilng
dissensions In conclusion, he said he felt
convinced that parliament would respond
to the governments statement and nelp
the ministers to carry out their poAcy OF
peace and progress.
NJ. Goblet, republican radical soclaIst
offered an Interpolation, saying that un-
der the circumstances Of its formatlon,
the cabinet had violated parliamentary
rules. The cabinet, he declared, dld not
represent the republican majority Of the
chamber. 1t was the result of plot forms
ed by the moderates, who in order TO
give the country such a ministry, had
provoked a conflict between the Senate
and the Chamber of Deputies. The pre-
mier, he said, must render an account OF
his violation of the constitution. The
programme of the cabinet was contrary
to the demand of a majority of the cham
ber as it rejected the income tax. 1t was,
in fact, a ministry in defiance of the ma
NJ. Deschanet, republican, said that uni
Versal suffrage was certainly supreme
but to declare that the Chamber of Depu-
ties was omnipotent and the Senate pow
erleSs was a negatiOn Of the sovereignty
of the people. The Bourgeois cabinet
he said, had for five months exercised
upon the chamber sort of moral black
mail.
The president, NJ Brisson, interrupted
the speaker, and demanded that he with
draw his expression in regard to the late
ministry.
NJ. Deschanet modified the expression
by substituting the words outside the
chamber for upon the chamber" and
continued, saying that during his term Of
Office as president of the council of the
ministers NJ. Bourgeois had not executed
a single reform, but had merely propaga-
ted cOllectaVist doctrines.
EX-Premier Bourgeois maintained that
either dissolution of the chamber or revis-
ion of the constitution was the only sOlu-
tion of the situation.
Premier Meline replied that the chamber
must now choose between policy Of con-
hict with the Senate or a policy of concil-
iatiOn.
The chamber by a vote of 279 to 251 re-
fused to give priority to the proposal of
NJ. Henri Ricard reaffirming the chamber s
right to preponderance in the representa-
ton of the principle of universal suffrage.
The chamber then adopted a resolution,
which received 569 affirmative votes, af-
frming the sovereignty of universal suf-
frage, and, finally by vote of 23l to 1886,
approved of NJ. Melines $ declaration and
then adjourned until May 2S
In the Senate the ministerial declaration
was read by NJ. Darlan, minister of jus
| tice. As he was beginning the statement,
| NJ. Girault, republican radical, shouted:
1T is useless to read it; the cabinet is un-
constitutional.
A tumult ensued but after it subdued, NJ.
| Darlan proceeded with his reading, at the
conclusion of which he was applauded.