The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-09
Radically Different Reforms Thas
Would BE Proposed in n Ver-
saiIIes Convention.
VICTOR BoNAPHRTE'S CHANCE
THE PRETENDER SUGGESTED As
NEXT POSSIBLE EMPEROR.
Evidence that Russia Is CrOwdIng
Her Navy ard Land Preparations
Other Foreign News.


Special to the Democrat.
PARIS, Jan. s.--Not since the most criti-
cal days of BoulangeTism can | recall such
degree of universal uneasiness and alarm
as that which prevails here at the present
moment. A few days ago / cabled to the
Globe Democrat how the government had
actually gone to the length of warning the
Agents de Change, or corporation of official
stock brokers, to devote all their efforts
toward the restriction, for the present, of
speculative operations. in view of the un-
settled state of affairs at home and the
cloudy outlook abroad; and L mentioned
that matters must be terribly serious to
warrant the Cabinet in thus sounding the
note of alarm.
Inasmuch as the circular issued on the
strength of this warning on the part of the
government was not published here, but
merely issued in the form of a letter from
the various Agents de Change to their Gus
toners, some doubt may have been enter
tanned as to the authenticity of the news,
since at first sight il seems almost beyond
belief that the government should issue any
such warning. But any doubt about the
matter will be removed by the sensatio
announcement made last night to the effect
that within the last fortnight nearly $780,
100000 have been withdrawn by small inves-
tors from the savings banks in consequence
of the alarm felt concerning the unsettled
condition of affairs at home and abroad. L
have also mentioned in these dispatches the
significant action of the Russian govern
ment in transferring most of the funds that
were on deposit here across the channel to
London.
And now most ominous of all signs the
- ~ p.
the demand for the revision of the consti-
tuition, is heard again. The demand for the
revision of the constitution enabled General
Boulanger, vulgar adventurer and poltroon
though he showed himself to be, to come
within an ace of upsetting the republic at
moment when 100 per cent. stronger than
it is to-day, when it still possessed prestige,
and had not been so terribly discredited
both at home and abroad. At that time,
too, it was only the followers of General
Boulanger and a certain number of the mon
archists who were clamoring for revision
of the constitution.
To-day practically everybody has taken
up the cry, it being universally agreed that
the present constitution is altogether made
quate and is responsible for the existing
unfortunate state of affairs, which, as long
as the constitution remains unaltered is
calculated to go on from bad to worse All
are agreed that a constituent assembly
should be specially elected by direct vote
of the entire people to deal with the ques-
tion, that is TO say, to amend the consti-
tuition.
But here the unity upon the subject ends.
and it is difficult to find any two politicians
who are agreed as to what form the re-
vision of the constitution should assume.
the Progressist group. which is composed
Of moderate Republicans of good birth, with
conservative leanings is in favor of in
creasing the powers of the President of the
republic, and of diminishing the numbers
of the deputies and senator's. Ex-Minister
Trouillot, who has sat in the Brisson Cab
met and in several other Radical admin
istrations, while strongly advocating the
revision of the constitution of 1875 as be-
coming less and less adapted to the inter-
ests Of the country, is strongly opposed to
increasing the presidential powers, decIar-
ing that if France were to have a const-
tutional king it was useless to talk of be-
ing a republic. NJ. Merlou, another Radical
leader. advocates the suppression of the
presidency altogether The out-and-out
monarchists are in favor of revision. but
don't conceal their intention of using it
to replace the President by either a King
or an Emperor
Another politician with whom I discussed
the subject expressed himself in favor of a
plan whereby only the prime minister
should belong to the Chamber of Senate. all
other Cabinet ministers being chosen from
outside the legislative bodies, as in Ger
many and Austria. This, my friend de-
clared, would put an end TO all the lobby
intrigues, which often subordinate political
questions to ministerial combinations Even
President Faure is asserted to be strongly
IN favor OF revision, declaring that without
sufficient degree of power to correspond
with the responsibility which he bears in
the eyes of the people at home and abroad
his position is intoIerable.
From this it will be seen that everybody
aB in favor Of revision-Prime Minister Du
guy, most of ALL since he has for the past
ten years had the presidential bee in his
bonnet. and been longing for an opportunity
TO suppiant Felix Faure, whose rival he was
at the last presidential election. He mag
ines that If he maneuyers the revision well
It may result in his own election
Revision has. therefore, become the order
Of the day. and while it is useless 10 look
for any mOnarchical coup d'etat. or revolu
uonary rising, political proclamation coun-
tersigned by the premier dissolving the
Legislature and summoning a constituent
assembly 10 assemble at Versailles for the
purpose OF amending the constitution of 1875
may be looked for at an early moment. Such
q proclamation would be hailed with satis-
faction by all and would be a popular move
on the part Of the present Cabinet which
Dy its foreign as well as its domestic poll
Icy is rapidly losing prestige. But no man
can tell what would be the result Of the