New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-21
SELECTIONS FROM THE NAIL.
THE FRENCH CONSTITUTION.
IRIS WORKING IN ACTUAL PRACTICE AND PRO
PosALs FOR ITS AMENDMENT

IRIS WORKING IN ACTUAL PRACTICE AMI i"
PosArs FOR IT'S AMENDMENT.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir. The editorials on the French constitu''o"
which appear from time 10 time In Inc Iriou"e' 40
well as the trend of the American press seem ~
inculcate the principle that ideal government 40
comprised in the Presidential. form. with lis DcaH
oral feature and that this system ought. beyond a
ouestion OF n doubt. to be adopted by our sister
republic il not extended throughout the ciVihIeu
world. To this neistence IL added the asser''o"
that ito adopt free trade and the income TAX !"
France would be to play into the herds OF the DO
cialists who advocate such revolutionary schemes
It NAV be said in passing that IL this latter state
ment be true In general terms. then there must ek-
ist a strong revolutionary party in the uhi'eu
States.
A soon as there is the least ripple on the surface
political life in France, proposed partia chahse
in the personnel Of the Ministry to bring about
better touch with the popular and controlling Cham
Der the cry Is raised on this side of the Atlantic
that tranquility Is due to the massng or troops
around the Luxembourg" "the fundamental law
Of the republic is ar stake and that "a Radical
Soclallst.c-Jew batting combination has raised an
Ir-ue which involves "a battle for Tire constitution"
In the first place It ought to be stated that at
the present time there is constitution In France
which was formed and continues TO exist IN the
American sense The constitutional laws were not
adopted by n constituent assembly. ana were never
the continuance Of the Government under thoee
acts as now practically Interpreted, amounts TO n
ratification There IL no space to detail any or the
manoeuvres which took place between the pfociama-
ton of the republic In September. 1870. ana lS'O thr
date Of the constitution. Every Kind or rear ana
bascness prompted the remedy OF sending an o.
noxious mixture Of Legitimists. Orcanists ana IN
trigiors 10 an anti-national Assembly convoked al
bordeaux which nominated Theirs as cher OF OK
ecutlve power. depending on him to overthro" 'nc
republic on his resignation the Monarchists rehed
on the loyal soldier" MacMahon. 10 find In the
lapse Of time occasion to cede his once 10 so"o
monarch
It is notorious that this organization was inst-
tuted for the destruction of democracy. re-
stricied suffrage is made the dominant force OF 'h
republic by submitting universal suffrage 70 the
cdprccs ~ privileged inferno diaries. VINO exercise
their power through various processes More ex-
tended attributes and duration are given 10 the
Senate which represents an arbitrarily chosen mi
nority than to the Chamber Of Deputies. when ~
the result Of the direct vote Of the nation An
upper Chamber Is thus created whose decisions 'he
lower Chamber IL bound to follow under pennliy OF
being dissolved by the President and Senate or 20
create conflict by putting the country In danger
The Ministers are responsible as a whole. 10 the
: aate as we'll as TO the Chamber Of Deputies Tor
the general policy OF the Government DihcH''leS
are multiplied I'm every way 10 prevent the peop.e
from exercising surveillance over the representa-
lives they have elected II Is Impossible 10 hold the
Intermediary electors to any responsibility
Revision Was provided for. as II the people dld not
exist. Wlthou: ratification or referendum, the TWO
Chambers could revise the constitution. ana during
the continuance u power conferred upon MacNAnoh
this revision could Only taxi place the proposition
Of the President, In this way. on any day, BY q
wcil-coniuctcl conspiracy. the republic cou!i pe
converted iato A monarchy by substitution In
few articles OF tho word EMPEROR" or the wori
King" FOR the THE Of "Presilen'"
The foregoing IL brief sketch II the letter ~ the
cor stltution IS It obtains in France to-day II
co.npr, bend the opinion OF the American press X
advises the enforcement y this Jaw by strict con-
sirucilon that the French Senate AMI the President
ought - control the Ministry and genera. admins
trAtion u the Government. and that The President
ought t. exercise all the monarchcal power con-
fcrrcI on him Bu, the press OF this country is not
even then satisfied FOR Il recommends as stu better
than the French law the Presidential system OF the
United states with President largely irresponsible
and aided by Cabinet which IS responsible only to
the President himself
| venture the assertion that the history OF the
French people shows that such a Government would
be turned into an empire I monarchy within
shor, time great deal il written on the Constitu-
ton Of l7J} being ~ Itself revolutionary because
/ was uncameral. but htile * heard OF the fact
that France proclaimed In lsis by constitutional
form tina, 'the French people delegate the legls-
lative power 20 one Assembly" BUT this provision
was not the weakness % that constitution IL ia lie
In m. fac, that the French delegated the Executive
power 90 citizen who shall have received the Title
Of rsen, OF the Keqgoc as wei, a" sro err.ed 40
enow the President WIKI great power II was thls
gr iGitonn W comni me crime Of December
as the power gwen TO the First Consul lei - The
M he sr" ne H Se 30 ht eT rs T a the
Presidency Will lead to some form OF absoutsm
The substitution Of CLEVELAND for Faure means
me rule 81 a Louis or 4 Napoleon ,.,
II j. difficult TO define exactly what elements make
he
France. II is Moderate with tendency 20 Con
serytrsm radical II not TeNo.I,onar} NM ns,
revolutionary certainly by reactonary, move
eminent under the Third Republic and by refusing
20 vote tho Madagascar credits forced the resigna-
Ton ~ a Ministry. The senate dii not dispute the
Punishment. AID On other accounts and pretences.
Kali become involved in a connc, with the Bour-
scois Ministry. The personal character OF ne
fact that II promptly voted these credits to tn
M"ne Mnisry The Sen"iss pps' On Is pW,M
ton. which has not been strictly insisted upon for
This monarchcal power of Withholding moneys
power not accorded even to tn House OF Lords
workasi" constitution which, WIKI The Presdentia
power. ought to be revised so as TO bring me law IN
above all things. TO make IT conform TO long-exst-
ing fact
Radical. Socialistc; but the fact remains that
IN, preliminary struggle with the Senate the
his work. Therefore other factions must have sup
ported him besides the Radicals and the Socialists
Whatever the motives OF the Senate may have been.
the Bourgeois Ministry thought that patri ,tism I'M
prriousy commanded that they should subordinate
every thing to question Of national dignity ana Sc
cur,ty. which cOnsidera lions of home politics
ought 10 overweight. The cabinet were therefore
resolved 20 make way for another Ministry. though
they forgetful OF their other duties toward
the Chamber Of Deputies and the Republican ma
ton.
I'VE cannot allow the error" said NJ Bourgeois
ITO gain hold that We. in resignlng, abandon the
%
rs Leon Gambetta and Jules Ferry. that the Cham
Der alone Is able TO make and unmake cabinets"
Whether constituent assembly elected TO carry
"A simple and direct policy would at this time
abolish the Senate. endowed as 1t Is with monarch