The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-26
Destruction of the Empire Be-
lieYed to Be at Hand
Breaking Up Will Be Attended
by Violence.
BRITISH LOST GROUND
When the Emperor Was ShOrn
of Power.
Wreck of French Republic is
Also Looked For.

London, Sept. 26.-A coup d'etat in
China and almost a coup d'etat in
France have added another week Of in
creased apprehension to the record OF
this anxious year. The British authori-
ties fear the worst at Pekin, and are
ready to admit that the advantage
gained by the dismissal of Ii Hung
Chang is more than lost. The consen-
sus Of opinion is that the destruction Of
the Chinese empire is at hand. The
news of the spread of the anti-dynas-
tic revolution strengthens the belief
that the collapse will be accompanied
by violence. 1t is useless to speculate
on what will become of the ruins.
In France the situation is full Of I'M
certainties, but the issue is becoming
clearer and more critical hour by hour.
A well defined struggle between the
civil and the military powers has be-
gun. How serious the present moment
Is for France may be judged from the
fact that even conservative English OBJ
servers do not believe that the repub-
hcan constitution can survive the
strain. The military authorities at Par
is, including Gen. Zurlinden and Gen.
Chanoine, have acted in open defiance
of the premier and the majority of his
cabinet in beginning the prosecution of
Col. PicQuart.
to this challenge from the executive
head of the government. NJ. Brisson
has more courage than the average
mediocre French politician, but there is
reason to fear that he will weakly sub
init to military dictatiOn and the oil
garchy of the army will be an accOmp
lished fact. No one doubts that If there
were a strong. ambitious man in France
at this moment he could seize the gov-
eminent without difficulty. Even Pres
fdent Faure has been suspected of such
designs. 1t happens, however, that
what Faure has gained in vanity he
has lost in cleverness. If he ventured
on high-handed measures he would
probably make a mess of it.
Here is an interesting version of this
feature OF the situation by a formerly
prominent Frenchman, who is now only
a spectator;
Taking all the circumstances into
consideration, one has only to follow
the logic Of facts to foresee what may
happen IL the commission pronounces
during the next week in favor of a re-
vision Of the Dreyfus trial If President
Faure were a BOnaparte there would
not be a shadow of a doubt. Even as it
is. he has but to say one word to have
France at his feet, and, mark you, if
he does not say this word, If he does not
declare against revision, he will have
Drumont and Rochefort and the whole
French mob in hue and cry against
him, and there will be nothing for him
TO do but to follow the example of
Grevy and go.
But, if on the other hand, in order to
oppose revision, he resigns the presi-
dency, congress will meet within "A
hours at Versailles under the presiden-
cy of NJ. LOubet, who will, you may
be sure, expedite matters, and Faure
will be elected by a crushing majority
hostile to revision. He will then form
BarthOu ministry, with an ambitious
strong general at the war Office-Gen.
Brugere, for instance-and he will then
be able to do what he likes with the
country"
The impression is daily gaining wider
credence in Paris that the so-called Sc
cret which influences the successive
ministers of war to oppose revision at
any cost, is the appalling fact that the
majority of the general staff is leagued
in corruption and traitorous practices
OF which Dreyfus is only scapegOat /
The disclosure of the humi1iating truth
would incite the outraged Frenchmen
to revolution