New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-11
TOPICS IN PARIS.
PRESIDENT FAURE's BID FOR POPULAR
ITY-A STATESMAN BETRAYED.

Paris, May1.
President Faure has once more given evidence
OF the remarkable shrewdness and sagacity
which he Observation-Disclosures and sagacity OF
a quality that few suspected at the time OF his
election to the office of Chief Magistrate. For
some months he had felt that his popularity was
waning and that the people no longer possessed
the same confidence in him as last year. Inc
Royalists, in spite Of the hopelessnees OF tneir
cause were busy with all kinds OF lntrlgues' e"-
deavorng to sap the prestige OF the PRESIDENT
About four weeks ago matters had reached such
a pass that outside Paris the head OF the state
was welcomed with silence that was as en-
barrassing as significant. while here IN the city
he was actually Kissed and hooted at the races
at the picture shows. only escaping similar treat
ment at the Concours Hippique by visiting II
early in the morning. before any Of the habtues
had arrived. NJ. Faure therefore realized tha'
he must do something. and quickly. in order TO
recover his place In the good graces OF the peo-
ple. II he wished to render his position at the
Elysee tolerable and so last week, without any
warming. he started off, with the Minister OF
Wnr and a few OF the leading generals, 70 Visit
those Eastern frontier Notifications upon wnicn
the country has lavished millions since 1871. 80
great has been the secrecy maintained with re-
gard TO this system Of defence that there are
few officers in the French Army who are &C
ouainted with 1t in all it's details, and assureoiy
no civilian has ever been permitted 10 see "hh'
was shown the other day 10 the President ana u
NJ Cayaignac who occupies the post or Minister
OF War.
For the first time since the last war the wnoie
frontier line OF defence was alarmed for the oene-
At OF the Chief Magistrate The garrlsons Oh
each of the fortresses along the boundary Hhe
are constantly being alarmed by day ana oy
night inst in the same manner that is practised
IN Germany But 1t was for the hrst time last
week that the alarm extended along all the lines
simultaneously. and everything appears 10 nave
worked without single hitch Verdun in par
,io,lar eaen,s TO have attracted the Presidents
attention. and how stern are the requirements IN
connection with the system may be gathered
from the fact that there. as In many otner OF
these frontier towns houses may be built De
vond the fortifcations. The towns are without
, suburbs which might offer shelter to the ap-
proacn Of an enemy. and the result Is that 'hey
are so cramped and crowded that the ofhcers are
accustomed 10 declare that they are oonsed 10
wait until the death Of comrade has MADE
vacancy in the lodging houses and hotels IN
order TO secure proper sleeping accommodations.
The result Of this visit of the President, which
WAS entirely unannounced. and wncn mas TAKE"
the public altogether by surprise. has been eiec-
trIcal II has for the first time conVeyen an iueh
to the people Of the elaborate and magnihceh'
works designed for their protection against LOT
| elgn Invasion: It has shown them no" the''
money has been scent and has given them the
! satisfaction ~ knowing that II has not peeh
ras,ed II has aroused their feelings Of patriot
ism made them feel stronger and more SELF
| -aliart and with these feelings they somehow
! associate sentiments Of goodwill for the Presi-
den, who has TO A certain measure shown them
TIA, the; are we'll protected. and that Germany
| af,er all Is not the only country that can re-
spond Immediately to a military alarm on the
part Of ths Chief OF the state,
" constants AND THE RoYALIsTs.
Amor the revelations which have been made
hare within the last few days. In the Royahst d.
weu as IN the Republican press. II is difficult to
see how NJ Constans can ever hold once again
under Republican Government fact all the
more 70 be regretted. seeing that he Is man
Of iron will and energy ard the statesman OF all
others to whom the bourgeolse have been ac-
c,,etored to look as alone capable Of crushing
! onv Socialist or revolutionary outbreaking With
M, scrunle fear or mercy. Indeed. the only
reason why he has been pcrslstenty left out
IN the cold alike by Presidents or the Repuolo
and by Premiers is because they are AFRAID Oh
the hold which he has hitherto had upon the
confidence and goodwill Of the well-to-do' OF
those in fact who have material interests al
stake In the maintenance Of order. There Is
MN a noigne with a fist) there Is the man 70
keep the Socialists In order, was the reinarN
tho, ona was accustomed t. hear whenever the
ran,e NJ constants was mentioned in any salon
or ~ any dnner-table. and attention was recalled
N the mastery manner in which he put down
Roulangism at the moment when the BRAY
ca,1r,r seemed about to overthrow the Repub-
! lie
F,ono the revelations just made 1t would now
appear that NJ. Constans had been treadihg IN
The same slippery and crooked path as that
which led BouanEer 10 ruin and disgrace For
dispusted at the treatment to vhlch he was sub
iected by the Republic that he had saved. he
seems to have turned his attention toward the
! Monarchical camp. and to have taken part in
! Royalist intrlgues with view to a coup detat
In favor OF the Duke 81 Orleans. who, as was tc
| have been expected. has naturally enough ended
by betraying NJ. Constans.
According to the Dukes own story, which has
been since confirmed by several OF the Royalis'
| leaders here as well as by the Monarchica
press notably the "Gaulois," the Pretendei
nuitted Stowe House secretly about January D
! last wear In company with the Due de Luynes
and another gentleman. and crossed the Chan
! mel to Brussels where he slept On the follow
ing day the party went TO Mons. and gained the
French frontier by the route OF Valenciennes
! Having crossed the boundary line between the
| two countries without attracting attention. the
| Duke took the railroad. arrived here without
| tho slightest hitch or hindrance. and drove
| straight to the house Of NJ. Constans where ne
| spent the entire day in discussion with the
| Republican statesman and with several or the
! members of the Royalist party Arrangements
| were made for a Royalist coup d'etat, which
| would in all probability have been carried out
and might have succeeded had not the entire
| iInSIv sudden resignation Of President Casimlr
Perier a week later, before the Royalst plan;
| had been completed 1t will be remembered
| how quickly the Congress at Versailles and tht
| election of Felix Faure followed, and thi:
| rapidity served to nip in the bud any possibility