The record-union., 1898-10-27
THE MENACE TO FRANCE.

The troubles in France have led to
resignation of the Brisson Ministry, to
rioting in the streets of Paris and dem
onstrations in the Senate and Deputies
of the most ominous character. The
Minister who declared that the civil
power of the Government should be
maintained superior to the military
arm has gone down in the crash of the
Cabinet, and the President is seeking
to gather sufficient conservative men
to form new Ministry that will have
the confidence and trust of the legis-
lative branches of the Government.
In the midst Of this difficulty France
is threatened with war, or with the hu-
initiation of withdrawal from a terri
tory which she claims the right to
enter and hold. In the midst of such
troublous times there looms upon the
sky Of her future the menace of re-
established monarchy. Whenever there
are trying times at hand for the nation
the royalists Of one stripe or another
emerge from their seclusion, and puffed
and bloated with declarations of love
for the country, seek to establish them
selves upon the necks Of the people.
If now France is cast into the net
of war, her existence as a republic,
much as that term has been shorn
of its true expression in that land, will
n
in the situation and the temper of the
French people to warrant the belief
that the Government can maintain it
self against the foes that will besiege
it. If royalists, pretending Bourbons
or the Bonapartists do not seize the
reins Of power, anarchy will for a time
prevail, and eventually a monarchical
form Of some kind will be set I'D. We
would be gratifed beyond expression
to be of other belief, TO have some
sound reason for hope for the per-
petuity of the republic.
Once let English guns angrily thun-
der across the channel and English
fleets appear upon the coasts Of France,
and all the internal enemies Of the re-
public will crawl from retiracy to the
front Of an active and combined effort
to overthrow free institutions, content
to quarrel among themselves thereafter
as to which of them shall survive.
Prussian assault brought about the
overthrow of the throne and the estab-
lishment of the first republic. The rat
tie of English arms and German sabers
sent Napoleon into exile and placed a
Bourbon upon the throne. Less than
thirty years ago the German William
advanced upon the borders Of France,
and the Emperor Napoleon retired into
exile and the new republic was erected.
So again If war follows the strained re-
lations of to-day, the echo Of English
cannon will be answered by the shout
of pretending Kings and Princes and
the hosts Of 'fsms" clamoring for SUI
preme control in France and some one
of them will triumph, and the republic
again go down.
Whenever an enemy appears upon
the soil Of France the people turn in
uncomfortable anger upon the existing
Government and seek to rend IT, They
viii do so in this case if British ships
of war invade French waters and assail
the soil of France with their far-reach-
ing sea artillery. But as to who the
successor of the President will be, no
man may now say with any degree of
faith in his own declaration. The house
OF Bourbon is practically extinct
Louis, who now pretends, is but half
Bourbon, and his house has In all it's
history had but one parsonage upon
the throne of France, and even he,
Louis Philippe, was put there to dis
place the lawful ruler, Charles X. Be
sides this, the Bourbon Orleanist claim
ant of to-day is probably the best
hated man IN France. He has cult
waited dislike of himself assiduously
The Napoleonists cherish hopes OF
recognition in case of a revolution, but
the representatives of that house are
so far removed from the name and
blood of its founder that it would seem
to be rather vain expectation that
they will now cut much of a figure
as claimants. They are the grandsons
of Jerome Bonaparte. One of them
has already resigned his claims in IA
vor Of the Bourbon Orleanist Prince
while the man who might set up con-
test to be known as Napoleon ". is
serving Russia as a soldier. He has
the personal friendship of the Gar
and that may serve him well, and make
France regard his claims with consid-
Grafton, as his accession would be
looked upon as securing that perfect
alliance between Russia and France
which the latter so much desires.
But no one may forecast the early fu.
ture of unhappy France, II her present
Government is so weak as to permi'
itself to become embroiled with the
British In conflict In which the Repub'