New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-16
THE STATE OF FRANCE.

The menace Of a military coup detat in
France is not likely TO be fulfilled. No doubt
ii has been made and still exists. No doubt
there has been such a conspiracy as des-
pcrate resort Of those who have long been in
vOlved in other conspiracies and who now see
exposure of their forgeries and perjuries and
other villanies drawing remorselessly nearer
and nearer. Army officers who assault citl-
zens and threaten them with death for shout
ing "Nive la RepubliQue." are entirely capable
of plotting for the overthrow of the Republic.
Yet it Is not TO be believed they will succeed.
That is partly because they have strong
leader, partly because there are strong lead
ers opposed to them. partly because they have
already largely forfeited and lost the confidence
of the people. and partly because .ney know
any such game would almost certainly involve
them in n foreign war that 'ooulG rHove scarce
ly less disastrous than that Of the Terrible
Year. 1t is indeed TO be doubted whether they
have really intended TO 90 further than men
ace. They have probably supposed they could
bully the BrissOn Ministry or scare IT, into
compliance with their will. as they did the
wretched apology for court which tried NJ.
lola: in which they have now found themselves
handsomely mistaken. NJ. Brsson is a brave
man and an honest man, and that Is kind of
man these Jew-baiters do not understand
What, then, Is ominous Is rot that the men,
ace should be made, hut that it should be
garded seriously. Let us, by way OF contrast.
suppose il 10 be made in another country. Sup
pose conspiracy were organized in the Brit
ish Navy TO make the Admiralty supreme above
the Treasury. Or suppose the German En-
peror. with his army ut his back should plan
q coup detat for abolishing the Reichstag or for
some other purpose. Why. there would just be
one universal guffaw at the thought of it.
Troubled as Austria-Hungary is. no one looks
for revolution there, unless it be legal one;
and even In weak and harassed Italy a coup
d'etat is not reckoned among the probabilities.
But in France one Of the richest and most
prosperous nations in the world, the thing Is
recognized as not only possible but by no
means improbable. That fact is symptomatc
of n state OF affairs by no means salutary. The
menace will. we believe, pass. But another
may succeed 1t, and another: and one day one
of them may be fulfilled. When man con-
templates the preparation of crime by him
as possible and not improbable. he is perilously
near being criminal When nation comes
TO regard a coup d'etat a possible and not
improbable contingency, It Is near the verge Of
revolution.
1t IL the old story Of Frankenstcin: story
Hs cid as human ambition and human folly.
France has created monster that threatens
TO overpower her II Is true tina: other nations
have done and are doing the same thing. But
no one expects the British Navy to tyrannize
over Great Britain or the German Army to
dominate civil law IN Germany There are
Judges in Berlin despite all the Knisers
legons The difference in Frances case Is in
hpr notionaI temIerament She Is far more
nercurial and far more fervent In spirit than are
any OF her nelghbors; she has less repose and
selfcontro So the army which should be her
servant threatens to become her master Hap
ply she responds to good impulses as well as to