New-York tribune., 1896-05-01
MELINE STATES HIS POLICY.
AN APPEAL FOR CANCELLATION AND CO.
OPERATION.
A SCHEME, OF FISCAL. REFORMS WHICH LEAVES
OUT THE INCOME TAX-THE CHAMBER Az
PROVES OF THE PREMIERs

4 a
| OUT THE INCOME TAx-THE CHAMBER AP-
PROVES OF THE PREMIER's
DECLARATION.
| Paris. April so.-M Me.ine. President Of the
new Council of Ministers. made statement OF
| the policy of the new Cabinet in the Chamber
of Deputies to-day. The Chamber received II
coldly scarcely half Of the Deputies applaud
ing his utterances, and the Socialists interpos-
ing their accustomed Interruptions.
| The new Premier began by saying that he
would not attempt TO disguise the difficulty of
! the task before him and his colleagues But
he said, there times when politicians VINO
are devoted to their country have no right 10
shirk the burdens of office. We impose upon
ourselves the policy of pacfcation. and will
endeavor to restore harmony among the pubic
powers. which Ia Indispensable. The Chamber
I exercises dominant action in the general cirec-
ton of politics. but 1t Is impossible TO legislate
and govern without the cooperation of the
Senate"
NJ Meline then made an appeal for reclprocal
goodwill toward the Ministry on the part of the
Chambers. which, he said, would solve and settle
all discords. He was convinced he said. tina,
the Chamber contained Il Republican majority
which was resolved to shelve all differences ana
devote its efforts TO the establishment OF demo-
cratic reforms ami pass laws in the interest or
| the working classes. The surest means OF put
ting an effectual bar in the way Of revolution,
he declared would be to remain faithful to the
tradition that justice and solidarity form the
rampant of the Republican party.
The new Premier placed the fiscal reforms be-
fore the Chamber as matters Of the first i'm
| portance. The probate laws and the laws regu-
lating the traffic in drink, he said would be in
| troduced in the Budget and would be operated
under a system which dispensed with an In
| qusitor or any other arbitrary measures, and
| assured better division Of the direct taxation,
| thus relieving small taxpayers. The Govern
| ment he said. would vigilanty apply the econ
| omies which the nation demanded and simplify
| the present complicated administration. They
| would also spare effort to aid the interests
Of agriculture, to complete the national defence,
| to regulate the hours Of labor and the liability
Of employers and to organize pension funds.
/ The prosperity of the nation. he declared. de-
pended upon Parliament abandoning sterile dis
| cussion and limiting its labors to such egisa-
| ton as would serve the interests OF the work
| ing classes. The stagnaton of business had
| been chiefly caused by an uncertain and mar
| row policy. Order and the progress OF labor
| were imperative and equally advantageous in
| home and foreign affairs. France. he said, was
weary of agitation, and wanted a truce from en-
| feebling dissensOns In conclusion. he SAID, ne
| felt convinced that Parliament would respond to
| the Governments statement, and help the Min
| listers to carry out their policy OF peace ana
| progress.
| NJ. Goblet. Republican Radical Progressive, Of
fered Interpolation, saying that under the cir
| cumstances of its formation the Cabinet had
| violated parliamentary rules. The Cabinet, he
| declared, did not represent the Republican ma
/ jority of the Chamber. 1t was the result OF a
| plot formed by Moderates, who in order to give
| the country such a Ministry. had provoked
conflict between the Senate and the Chamber Of
| Deputies. The Premier, he said. must render an
account of his violation of the Constitution. Ths
| programme of the Cabinet was contrary to the
demand Of a majority of the Chamber, as 1t re-
| jected the income tax 1t was. in fact, Minis
| try in defiance Of the majority OF TIE Chamber
| NJ. Deschanel. Republican, said that universal
suffrage certainly supreme; but to declare
that the Chamber Of Deputies was omnipotent
and the Senate powerless was negation OF the
sovereignty of the people. The Bourgeois cab
met, he said. had for five months exercised upon
| the Chamber sort Of moral blackmail.
The President NJ. Brisson, interrupted the
| speaker and demanded that he withdraw his ex-
preston In regard to the late Ministry.
| NJ Deschanel modified the expression by sub
stitutng the words outside the Chamber" for
upon the Chamber" and continued, SAYING
that during his term Of office as President OF the
| Council Of Ministers, NJ. Bourgeois had not exc
cuted single reform, but had merely propa-
| gated Collectvist doctrines
| Ex-Prem.er Bourgeois maintained that either
| dissolution OF the Chamber or revision OF the
Constitution the only proper solution OF
| the situation. Premier Meline replied that the
| Chamber must now choose between policy OF
conflict with the Senate or policy OF concila-
tion
The Chamber. by vcte Of 279 to 25l. refused
| to give priority to the proposal Of NJ. Henri
| Ricard reafiirming the Chambers right to pre-
pond-rance in the representation Of the principle
Of universal suffrage
Tho han pharf hon a1 cd a
received 569 affirmative votes affirming the SOW
eregnty of universal suffrage.
In the Senate the Ministerial declaration was
read by NJ. Daran. Minister Of Justice. As he
was beginning the statement Nj. Girault, Re-
publican Radical, shouted 1T Is useless to read
It, the Cabinet is unconstitutional" tumut
J ensued, but after IL subsided NJ Daran pro-
cecded with his reading. at the close Of which he
, applauded.
| Of NJ. Melines declaration, and then adjourned
until May 2S
The final vote by which the French Chamber has
| approved or rather has accepted the declaration
and programme OF the new Cabinet OF NJ Melne
does honor to the patriotism and the political COM
| nonsense OF the Deputies They understood how
| Injurious II would have been to the general In
terests Of the country to compel the Government
| to have recourse to a dissolution OF the Chamber
| or TO call National Congress In order to revise
the Constitution Of 1915. Moreover the continue
ton OF the crisis caused by the conflict between
the Senate and the Chamber might have been
especially dangerous at this time when the Social
! lists and Revouonists intended to hold manifesto
| tions all over the country, under the pretext Of
celebrating the 1st Of May. which is the Labor
| Day in Europe. On May 3. also municipal cleo
| tions are to be held throughout France. Thc Gov
| ernment would have been morally weakened in the
| event OF any possible disturbances these tive
occasions. II the Deputies had refused to recog-
nize the Ministry.
BY its action the Chamber has shown that Presi-
dent Faure was right when. In hi- speech delivered
at Havre, November 4, 1894, he said: THE Chamber
elected in 1898 is not Radical as 1t is pretended:
my conviction ls that 1t is Liberal; and all our
! efforts must tend form with II a real Govern
ment" This is what he succeeded In doing after
his election to the Presidency and recently In re-
aiming neutral In conflict between the Senate