Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-08
Some Interesting Gossip About the
New French Cabinet.
IMPORTANT GATHERING OF WOMEN
A Period Of Suspense in Regard to
the TransvaaI.
MISSIONARIES IN AFRICA
special Correspondence of The Evening Star.


LONDON, June %, 1899.
The new French cabinet is safely launch
ed. Whether it will weather the storm
that hangs visibly upon the horizon it is
TOO soon to predict. A majority of twenty
SIX on what was practically vote of con-
hdence is none too reassuring, when the
tickle and unstable character of French
political groups is kept in view.
But it is a great gain for France that the
strain of a protracted crisis is at last
lieved, and that NJ. Waldeck-Rousseau's
government has started with the approval
OF majority of the chamber. Up to the
last moment it seemed possible that it's ex-
istence would prove literally ephemeral.
There were some who predicted that on its
first meeting with the chamber it would
perish by an adverse vote. Such thing,
1t IS true has never happened within the
history Of the third republic, which has
been famous for short-lived ministries.
Yet the constitution of the cabinet was
so discordant, and the temper Of the groups
or the deputies SO undecided, that a dsas
ter at the outset was not regarded as alto
getner improbable. Happily, France has
been saved from such a calamity. A COM
mon danger has united the nucleus Of the
chamber. 1t is omnouS for the future that
SO many deputies adhered to their resolu
ton to put craftsmanship before patriotism.
But 1t is something to be thankful for that
the good sense of the majority prevailed.
The alternative of vote Of confidence is
almost too serious to contemplate. NJ. Lou
bet took well-nigh fortnight to secure a
ministry to succeed that of NJ. Dupuy. The
president is not a man to throw up his
hands in despair, even though the task
were given him anew. But the defeat OF
NJ Waldeck-Rousseau on his first appeal to
the chamber would have been a blow to the
republic and a triumph to its enemies. 1t
would have deepened and intensified the ex-
icff hay 81
crisis in which the elements of political
and social upheaval have taken no pains
to conceal themselves
From n Sense of Duty.
In all the circumstances it became the
duty of republicans to rally to the republic
and it is surprising that the duty was not
more generally recognized. Nor was 1t pos
sible to ignore the fact that the two CHIEF
members of the cabinet at least, and prob
ably most Of the rest as well, took office
from a sense of patriotic duty rather than
in hope of self-promotion: NJ Waldeck-
Rousseau, the premier,r has sacrificed a
great and lucrative practice at the bar TO
carry France through a time of crisis. Gen.
de Galliffet, the minister of war, mas
abandoned the repose toswhich his age en-
titles him and braved storm of obloquy
from those who remember the part ne
played in the suppression Of the commune
in 1871, in order to insure that the folly OF
a rev SHdll HOT QlScfEull tIle army VI
France. The Waldeck- Rousseau cabinet de-
serves support, were it for no other reason
than that it's members are men who refuse
to despair of the republic.
The International Woman's Congress was
formally inaugurated on Monday afternoon
at the great meeting held in the beautiful
hall of the Church House at Westminster.
1t was huge cosmopolitan gathering, brill
liant Of raiment and polyglot of speech.
Swede and German elbowed each other,
Austria and Italy met ins nifty, and France
and Russia concluded yet another belle
alliance" America was WELL represented,
and the British colonies sent 1.-THE, sun
burnt women, sweet of mien and frank OF
speech. The lands of the rising as well as
of the setting sun were represented, Tor
there were Indian ladies In native draperies
and the worid-old civilization of China was
epitomized in the demure-looking celestial
lady who sat on the right of the chair and
seemed to take everything in with the
bright glance of her bright oblique orbs.
A Brilliant Gathering.
1t was far more brilliant gathering, So
cially speaking, than the sister congress
at Berlin in the end of 1895, but not well
arranged. There the committee had hit
ON the happy idea Of investing each foreign
delegate with a badge representing her ma
tional colors, so that Dane or Russian or
Italian were distinguished at a glance.
These badges, so useful to delegates in rec
ogniZing each other are not feature of the
English congress. Then at Berlin the time
limit for speakers was strictly enforced.
This afternoon the opening proceedings ex-
Ceeded quite by an hour the time table, with
the result that the later speakers addressed
themselves to very thin audience.
Lady Aberdeen, who presided, made very
brief opening speech describing the aims of
the congress, a part of which is well worth
quoting. After referring to the presence of
men in the organization the president said:
The banding of ourselves together apart
from men for various objects must be re-
garded In most cases as temporary ex-
pedient to meet a temporary need, and 1t
must not be allowed to crystalline into
permanent element in social life. Man was
not meant to live alone observed Lady
Aberdeen; but still less was woman. Are
not all these societies confined to one sex or
the other dividing the life of the race in a
way not intended by God! 1t may be well
to have unions Of mothers, but do the faith
ers count for 30 little in the home that their
counsel is not needed?" This novel view
seemed quite to win the audience, and was
received with fervent applause
This other association, too, bears the
stamp Of sane judgment and shrewd sense.
TT is often taken for granted that a con-
gress of women would occupy itself in divis-
ing plans whereby women may be emanci-
. pated from the cares and duties of home.
l think l may assert, without fear of con-
tradiction that this Is not the ideal of this
congress- but we hold fast to the belief
that woman's first mission must be her
home. and that by it she will ever be judg-
ed and by its home life every country also
which is represented here today will stand
or fall
Reception of Delegates.
After the presidents address came the
reception of the foreign delegates. 1t was
noticeable that all spoke in English, with
the exception of three French ladies', who
would not trust themselves to the tongue
of ''perfidtous Albion fThe first presented
to the congress was ahe American vice
president, Mrs. Mary Wright Sewall, who
made a sparkling little tspeech. She spoke
of the two versions OF democracy-thar
with which we used TO he SO familiar: I'm
just good as everybsdy." and the new
reading, Everybody is Just good as l."
Nations must learn to be just as well as
generous to each fother-just even to a
car.
In the course of her remarks Mrs SewaH
mentioned that there 5were 125, 900 men
among the million and aaquarter comprised
in the international council.
The Baroness Alexandra Gripenberg of
Finland came next, iprefacing her speech by
perfectly superfinousi apology for her
English. An ardent patriot, 1t was impos-
sible for her to disguisesthe wounded feel
fngs which surged at hen heart over her op-
pressed nationality. The meeting was quick
to see the Significance of the baroness
words and indorsed ALL her poipfs