New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-09
very foundation and bulwarks OF the social sys-

SNIP and scandals that thirty wears ago would
nave been merely limited at in the most vague
manner. even II indeed referred to at all, are
now shouted In stentorian tones from the very
housetops with a revolving abundance of detail.
'arNe portion Of the newspaper-reading public
likes to learn evil about it's neighbors, its
friends and its acquaintances and things have
come to such pass that the worse the scandal
the more valuable it is looked upon piece
or news for the press. Politics and the ordinary
intelligence, domestic as well foreign, are
restricted, save in the case of the Temps" and
the "Debats," to the smallest and most unob-
trusive corners of the paper. while items CAL
culated to show up this or that particular grade
of society in especially bad light occupy the
main portion of the sheet. Finally. one becomes
so accustomed to look for scandals in the French
press. and to find them. that the impression I'M
consciously grows upon one that they constitute
the only news in 4 Partisan paper. and that
there is nothing good that can ever be recorded
of French society, but only evil.
FIFTY PER CENT FOREIGNERS.
| Yet If one were to take the files of a Partisan
newspaper for period of twelve months and
| count up the financial scandals related OF men
and the indiscretions and dramas in which the
fair sex have played the leading role. accord
ing to press accounts, one would find that the
| people thus held up to popular Reproduction do
not comprise more than one hundred, or let
| us say, at the very most two hundred, per-
| sons occupying place in the arlstocracy. In
| the official world in ia Finance or among the
well-to-do bourgeosie the same names occur
| ring over and over again, nearly 30 pei cert OF
| them belonging to foreigners. For IL is only
necessary to re all the fact that Baron Reinach
and DR.. Cornelius Herr. the two princpai cuptits
| in the Panama scandal were or German pirtn,
| while the Princess whose divorce and subsequent
| attempts to appear at the Folies BerSefes
| Theatre in living pictures have been attracting
| so much attention in the press is an American:
| Yet il is on che strength of the misconduct or
! this relatively infinitesmal number or moi
| viduas, some French and the others loreish,
who thus held up to public oboquy In 'he
| press that the entire French nation with a
| population of 40.00O.O0O. is branded as so cor
| rupt and so lacking on the score or Eoranty
| that the word French here in America mas
| come to be regarded az synonymous with IN
| delicate" .,,
Police experts and those who devote their
| time TO the study Of crime and or soclal prop
lens relating thereto do not hesitate 10 express
the very decided opinion that there Il immeas
urably more social corruption at Beriln. az
| Vienna. at st. Petersburg, and even IN STOCK,
| holm than at Paris while Brussels has achleved
for herself An undesirable pre-eminenca over an
the other cities of the world as ire prinCipa,i
source Of all the literary filth which Beelzepup
INSPIRES degenerate sCribes to write for the con-
| tamination Of innocence and purity But every
| one of these capitals just mentioned makes d
| noint Of observing the maxim Of De La Rocne-
! foucaud. and keeps. as far as posslple. ven
! of mystery over its Insdongs, the scanda! which
! is printed IN their newspapers relating exclu-
! svely to occurrences abroad ana 10 foreigners
| a discreet silence being observed IN connection
| with those happening nearer home one may
| search the Berlin journals and those OF vienna
i in vain for any unsavory gossip cohcefnIhs tlle
! German aristocracy or about the Austrian great
world But YOU will find in their Columns me
! fullest details concerning the scandals or the
| hour in Madrid London. Paris or 81 PETERS
| burg Partisan newspapers on the othe[ manu-.
! arc apparently never so happy as when fouhnS
| holH
| comings of their own countryme3, in an exas
! Cerated form and in far too highiy coioreu
| light to the gaza OF the entire world.
REsPECTARIIIrY COUNTS IN FRANCE.
If will doubtless astonsh many people IN
| America to learn that nowhere in Europe does
| respectability coun, for so much as among me
French middle and lower classes. willie the fash
| ionable world of France attaches equal import
ance to what it describes as correctness OF con-
| duct speech and manner. If Felix Faure ard
| before him Casimi: Perier and Sadi-Carnot Were
| elected NV the suffrages of their countrymen to
! the Chief Magstracy of the Republic II was
| mainly because. Of all the candidates TOT thil
high office, they were held TO CONF s.oc -
the national ideal Of respectabihty ana "colrece-
moss These are two qualities Whcn are III
yariably preferred by the French TO pr'IlaiCY'
10 wit and to smartnesE OF lnteIlect. ana ~
| where are irregularities OF conduc- visited WIN
! move serious consequences TO pubic man OF
viewed with greater severity by the PeoPl@ d.
10
of the lamentablc failure ana tal OF rresiug ,
crew The fact that his domestic reatlons piipi
to the fall Of the Empire had not pceil oI al.os &
| ar raouIa. character-a fac Of which no one was
| ouare af IN. tim, of his election as Chlet MaslS-
| trate~ya: forever being brought to bea" against
| hin, and If was solely duo TO similar causes INA.
nm 10 Al Challemel- Iacour, the cleVerest
| Ererchmai, who ever held Office under the miro
Republic was on three separate G.ca hi ns,or,s
! feated by overwhelming maJori'ieS III 'i' '''''
| to secure the Presidency. .,..- :. l.. -
Tbis high price set upon responsibility IS TO pc
found in ever class Of French society, anu ~ -
but a year ago that retired revenue oll n! had
| ,iIa his father and grandfather before hlhl' hdu
beer decorated with the Legion OF Ilua'oi 20 mh
pensioned off after nearly twoscoiT !eal ., &c
| oItern service to the State, was SHOWN 10 nav
| murdered his reprobata son in consequence Vi
the young mans having brought uissiS tbopoh
the honof of the name of family Wncn, tnou arl
| humble had been noted throuShou' 'hi'0 o
| atoms for its respectabtJ' .,. oheor,,
| In conclusion let il be sale that strict opserV-
ance of the marriage ties is the RUE III hern
| families and not the exception. as people here
seem 10 believe. Indeed. the family relailohs al
| norhaps even more close and more ihtlhlate u.
TErance than in America. owing TO the lact tila.
| go is INFINITELY less independence on the part
| 80 tho wife the daughters and the sons. ne
| letter even when grown up ana gray -heau
| annot contract a marriage without the Pareii.ai
| cann t;on and the fact that no one should nave
oSnr thought Of modifying the law upon .he SUI p
iect shows conclusively the extent 10 WHICH 'N'
| anil sentiment prevails In France. ,,o
MAJ sc Wi, &c no, America. nor Is Paris France
| ~" oitias are infinitely too Cosmopolitan 10
| 80 as a sample or standard OF tne cha , 60
Of their respective countries AND II .ne hew
VI unei1 i,nnv, a little more Of America than they
I &c, nresent-of that America that lies 1eyonu
t 90 al limits Of even Greater Yoraand H. or
~ nthar hand the Americans were 10 Puase's q
| the other hdiu' onouaintance OF France than can
more eNcedf from French novels plays, news,
brief visits s0 hars " used
no longer NM Joeicnate things that are indicate
nor the latter oe'''' EX-ATTACHE.
very French
cur UOLDS THE FORT.