New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-09
FRENCH SOCIALISTS.
THEIR POWER IN THE CABINET MARKS
A NEW ERA.


Political observers of every shade Of opinion
agree that the fierce parliamentary battle won
by the Waldeck- ROusseau-De Gallifet Ministry
in the Chamber of Deputies yesterday. with
scant majority Of tw .nty-sX, marks a new era
in French Republicanism. Hitherto the revou-
tionary and Socialist groups have been rigidly
excluded from participation in the executive
government Of the country. Yesterday for the
first time in the history Of the Third Republic
Socialists sat the ministerial benches. NJ.
Millerand the Minister Of Commerce, and Nj
Pierre Baudin. Minister of Public Works. are
both remarkable representatives. Of French
Socialism.
Millerand. besides being a skilled parliament
tary tactician. is one of the mos; imprisoned
speakers OF the Chamber He Is frequently de-
scribed both by his friends and by his enemies
as q modern Robesperre. Pierre Baudin-
erandnephew and namesakc Of the victim OF
the Coup d'Etat OF December. 1881. who is
immortazed in Victor HugOs Historic dun
Crimc"-is a discipline Of Marx and Lasae.
The Minister of Public Works, who controls
everything connected with the Exhibition of
1900 is a Socialist OF the collectvst school.
He is not orator He IS n student Of polit-
ical economy and a statistican. He works
twelve hours day. Popular Socialist speakers
are in the habit Of consulting Baudin to obtain
facts and figures for their Sunday harangues at
Belleville and Lavillette. the two great prole
tariat districts of Paris. 1t is the presence OF
these two Socialist leaders the Ministerial
benches that has brought about the present
split in the Progressst Republican group-a
group which, until yesterday. formed the
nucleus Of Republican concentration. and is
composed OF men like Meline, BarthOu and
Ribot, who for the last ten years have con-
trolled the policy Of the Third Republic
M. Mene worked might and main in the lob
bies TO Overturn the Wadeck- Rousseau Min
tstry. and yesterday he voted against the Cab
met. while NJ. Ribot and NJ. Barthou with
greater patriotism RETAINED from voting at all.
NJ. Moline. when questioned on his irrecon-
cilabe hostility to a Ministry which is avowedly
a government Of emergency with special
mission to bridge the country over the Dreyfus
crisis without military prOnunciamento or ma
tonalist coup d'etat, replied: Now that
Socialism has once obtained a foothold in the
executive government it will be found that
future Cabinet can be formed without includ-
ing in it Socialists. Socialism is
already so formidable that it has. in my
opinion become the great peril to the Republic,
for it may drive the prudent classes into the
arms Of the reaction"
This unexpected growth Of French Socialism
Is due to the fact that the Socialist leaders
were the first who dared To come out flat
footed" in favor Of the retrial of Dreyfus. 1t
was Jaures and Millerand who fearlessly de-
nounced the iniquities OF the general staff
months even before Zola wrote his famous let
ter "Jaccuse." 1t was the colossal Socialist
demonstration at LOngchamps which over
whemed nationalist and reactiOnary mani
festations against President Loubet. After the
fall Of the Dupuy Cabinet NJ. POncare found
that it would be hopeless to form a Ministry
unless he offered at least portfolio to the
Socialists. NJ. Moline and the Progressive Re
publicans would not accept this. The Poncare
combination collapsed. NJ Waldcck- Rousseau
after five days perseverance came to the same
conclusion and renowned the task NJ. BOur
geOs. the Radical leader. who is able to exert
a strong influence with the Socialists.
called from the Peace Conference at The Hague
by President LOubet and succeeded in persuad-
ing the Radicals and Socialists temporarily to
bury their animosties and accept NJ. Wadeck-
Rousseau. provided two seats were given them
in the new Cabinet. The Socialists now feel
that they have saved the Republic They
realize their power. They declare they will
never relinquish a 1.-THE of their vantage
ground. Jaures and Viviani insist that Re-
publican Cabinet in future be formed in
which the Socialists are not represented. Such
is the present Socialist point Of view which is
regarded by the Progressive Republicans with
such dismal forebOdings.
Another remarkable feature Of yesterdays
parliamentary battle was the discipline Of the
Socialist party. 1t was the Socialist nterpea-
tons Of Mirman and Ernest Roche which nearly
overturned the Cabinet Mirman's nvective
against the Minister Of War. General de Gaifet,