New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-07

..,c,ng the will OF the people is French and has
anne down from the great revolution
English critics. and. as fear. American as
,,sn leave out Of account the essential fact
hat the French people have been trying an ex-
nerinnent in government on lines Of their ,vn
what is unique in their system is the reproduc-
zion Of the old time revolutionary convention.
18th a few compromises and safeguards such
=. the Premiership. the Presidency and the Sen
ate and us conversion into an engine Of gov
eminent which is singularly effective and rapid
n all its processes The Premier may have lost
.he nolitical authority of an English Prime
Minister and the President may not have the
,ndependence and resources Of responsibility
with which an American President is armed
hit the Chamber Of D. uties is an organ Of
French democracy which performs its functions
with drectness. simplicity and extraordinary
efficiency. The Premiership may have declined
IN political power; Cabinet government in the
English sense may be unknown: Ministers may
have become legislative clerks and the Presi-
Dental functions may not have been developed
IN conformity with American precedent and
nractice: but the characteristic idea Of French
repubncanism-the all-powerful popular Cham
her-has been carried out with lucidity Of intel
lgence
THE PARAMOUNT QUESTION.
The single question Of paramount Importance
is the ability Of the Chamber Of Deputies to
maintain its authority over the army which It
has created and reorganized The Revolutionary
Assembly could not do this. and a military en-
pire established. The English press is now
convinced that a struggle for ascendancy is i'm
rinent between military and civil authority in
France and that the army will not allow any
Ministry. the highest legal tribunal or even
the Chamber itself 70 sanction the revision Of
the Dreyfus trial. Its prophetic gifts have not
been conspicuous in relation 10 French affairs
during the last twenty-five years Not one OF
the confidently predicted revolutions has ever
occurred and students Of contempOraneous his
tory who really know France are not seriously
alarmed in this instance. They cannot perceive
either in the Duke OF Orleans or in Prince Vic
tor man Of force capable of taking advantage
Of revolutionary crisis: nor can they find a
Boulanger much less a Napoleon. IN the list
0. generals. They impressed with the fact
that the Chamber Of Deputies excitable as II
nay he on great occasions. resolutely maintains
rs supremacy the stronghold Of civil author
fly: and that the French people have continued
10 exercise the functions OF citizenship with So
berness and intelligence
Meanwhile France. with that cynical indiffer-
ence TO foreign opinion upon which Engshmen
plume themselves. contrives 10 disappoint her
critics and TO work out her destiny In her own
way without revolution catastrophe. For
eign censors may revive the old metaphors Of
Gallo dancing the crust Of a volcano. and
Nj Punch may portray her as bounded into
the bottomless pit by the spectres of Anarchy.
Chauvinism and Mtarsm: but she energies
with brave heart and with volatile mind from
every crisis. 1t is the unexpected that always
happens in France. and that is peace without
revolution or chaos. l. y. +.