New-York tribune., 1897-06-13
CRUEL CRITICS OF FRANCE.
EDMOND DEMOLINs'S AND JULES LIE
MAITRES CANDID ADMISSIONS
WHY The FRENCH ARE WEAKER THAN THE
ANIto-sANoNS- GOVERNMENTAL AND
SOCIAL CUSTOMS RrSpoNSJpIr


SOCIAL CUSTOMS RESPONSIBLE
No more cruel criticism Of France has ever
ben printeN, than that contained in the remark
ans book just published by the well-known
French author and scientist. Edmond Demolirs
and which bears the title Reasons for the Su-
periority Of the Ansio-Sax,n Race" 1t is book
which w"rderfu' 20 relate. is arousng no anger
or irritation on the part OF the countrymen OF the
writer. on tie contrary. his statements are ac-
copied as true. though sad. and the Partisan
press abandoning for once in the way it's brill
iAnf frivoli,y. discusses the book with an alto
Refher unusual sobriety and earnestness declar-
mg that no matter how painful the perusal OF its
pages will be to patriotic Frenchmen IL is the
bounden duty OF the latter to swallow to the last
drop the unpalatable dose nta:ned in NJ De-
moins's cup OF bitterness
The things that NJ Demolins tells us" writes
Jules Lemai;re- Of the French Academy in the
Paris Figaro. I'VE knew already and II did
not Know them we at least suspected their ex-
istence But he has assembled them together
and given concise expression thereto and from
his essay. which is as convincing it is dis
tressing. placed face cace with our own
weakness and our own infe-iority as compared
with the immense social political commercial
mdusu ia. financial and moral superiority OF
the Anglo Sax For i; is the acknowl-
edged superiority OF cooks and Of our play
vrights which will ever save us. and it is prob
able that superiority in all artistic matters
Is nothing more than a mere useless luxury"
The eminent Academician agrees with the
author OF the book that one Of the main causes
Of this superiority is the fact that the French
Nation is communal orsanzs,ion-th is TO
say. an organization where every one relies upon
his neighhor instead OF himself. whereas the
Angio-Ssxons are a -sce Of par;icularistic frorna-
dpn(hat - TO each member of
which relies upon himself instead OF upon any,
body else Another reason is to be found in the
schools which according Messrs I.ama!tre
and Demolins turn out nothing but Government
officials in France. whereas in the United State.
and III England they turn on, in the full
sense OF the word our system OF educa,ion
tehos 10 impair the growth of the population
For inasmuch as Government offices are not
sumcenuy remunerative constitute a mean.
or livelihood the parents are compelled to save
n many independent fortunes as they have chill,
ArenL Not only doe. this lead them to have a.
@w children as possible, but like ise ha. the ef-
feet Of Withdrawing from trade and indus,-
money which would otherwise be used for IN.
eeVeiopmenf thereof Instead OF being invested
In bonds and stncks thai often those of a
1oretKn EDv0nment and Of no productIvcne.,
vnAfev<1 to France- In America and In Great
oa1I41n On the oontrary, schools prepare the
popah iH the struggle Of life and for enterp-tses
Oh IN 19nsGiA commercial and Agricultural
caArAc6er- r1ther than for underpaid Government
servHe The consequence Is that money instead
Or being boarded oarculates that there in mn
dread q an abund1noe of children and that the
hnEne lacks that tendency toward avarice which
feature Of % many q the families Of the
mAonle and lower dasses In France"
BI-IGHT1NG INFLUENCES OF pOIJr1Cs
IL Demolns and his eminent reviewer III.
1-cAoerncaan l-ernaitre then 60 to show thar
ene preference Of the French for public service
over agricultural Industrial and eommerc,a,
pursu1s results in .he absurdity Of having .
national Legisla ture composed Of 15O former
government officials the balance being composed
OF Journalistic lawyers and doctors who for IN.
most part are far from being the cream OF their
respective professions which they woud not
nave abandoned for politics had they achieved
success in their various callings Comnsred ,o
this the English House Of Common. ia comnosoa
10 the extent OF four-dfths Of great landownar,
manufacturers and nerchant4 men repre.ent.
i've In one word at the trade. the industry and
tne Agriculture ot the empire
pf Is thanks To this and to other analopnu.
cols1oerHpore enumerated by the author Of tho
oooh In question that the United States and
c1esd Britain are more free than anv court-
from Socdans-o and from the most reactionarv
&no backward Of ali O-ganixatons the orpani
cation which OF All, Is the most fatal to activ
1ty development and to Individual dignity
NO wonder. then. that the Ang1o-Saxop race :.
0eStlned to become before long the master ~ IN.