The San Francisco call., 1898-02-17
THE UPRoAR IN FRANCE.

- OLA'S defiant championship of Dreyfus, so far from helping him, has acted upon the excta- = be Parisian popuace like red banner waEed in the face of angry bull It has aroused passions that have carried old animosities to the verge of reasoness rage, and at the present time the outcome of the trial is likely to be riot as anything else
 It must not be supposed, however, that the stormy mobs of Paris represent the public opinion of France. Excitement i'll form or another is the normal condition of life among large portion of the population of Paris, and France is too much customed to their extravagances to be seriously dis turbed by them Almost every political crisis a violent uproar along the bouevards but it is sell dom that anything more than noise and few dues emanate from the confusion that seems about to hurry the republic into chaos and old night
 The most serious feature of the present situation is the fact that within short time the Deputies are to meet their constituents The Government is thus compelled to some extent to comply with the will of the leaders ot the excitement for fear of their i- fuence the rabble on election day. The loss of a comparatively few seats in the Chamber of Depu- ties would mean the overthrow of the present Minis. try, and the Government dares not take the risk oi too strongly opposing the sentiment of class which, however small it may be in comparison with the whole voting population, is nevertheless active viz |
 The men who are making the most violent de monstrations against Zoa and Dreyfus are known to be opposed to the present constitution of France They are divided into two parties which on all other issues are in violent antagonism to one another, faction being socialists and the other monarchists but for this fight they have combined each being willing to help the other down the Government and take chances to which will be able seize the spells after the common victory
 The campaign cry by which the combined factions have succeeded in exciting the Parisian populace is The honor of the army" The people told that Zola has nsuted the of France for the purpose of defending traitor It is for this he IS howled at on the streets and threatened with violence he goes and returns to and from the court. The same cry will be sounded during the campaign throughout France when the elections take place and 1t will go hard with the Ministry If the opposition fasten upon 1t the suspicion that it is lacking in loyalty the army of the nation
 The outlook is grave beyond doubt but the re- public has met and weathered many fercer storm than thls The Boulanger movement dan- gerous because it had leader who popular tavorite, and in whom large numbers of people be lieved they Napoleon who would redeem Alsace and Lorraine from the Germans and restore the prestige and glory of the of France.
 The present movement has no leader The pas sionate regard for the army shown in the excitement that attends the trial of Zola ample proof that if military leader of commanding eminence were forthcoming the republic would be in extreme dan. eer but there is young Napoleon in sight The opportunity IS present but the man is absent The chances, therefore that the present excitement will never spread beyond the bouevards of Paris and that when the elections take place sure and safe majority of conservative republicans will be elected to maintain the present constitution for another long term of years.