The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-08
PARIS FUMES AND SUBSIDIES
LEADERS ARE WANING TO START A
REVOLUTION, so NOTHING HdPPhNa

PARIS, Sept IL bubble bubble toll and
trouble" Tho cauldron Of public opinion In
France reminds ono OF a kettle Of water on hot
stova The bubbles begin at the bottom. rise
TO the top and burst In the air; the hro grows a
little hotter and there Is great oommotlon In tho
kettle; finally tho water boils overheard and
falls on tho stove with great sputtor and hiss
ing; then what Is left settles down to q steady
and harmless simmer just now arc having
the sputter Soon public opinion will have drop
ped Into gentle simmer merely a healthy hgi.
tation Of pro and anti sentiment on the various
questions OF general interest II must be ad-
mitted, however. that Of late the FIRE has been
pretty hot and the French love OF the exciting
and spectacular has been fully gratihsd. This
week has witnessed the elimination tho pardon
OF tho famous prisoner Dreyfus the surrender
OF doughty NJ Guerin from Fort Chabroli tho
arrest Of body OF conspirators against the public
safety. and now the rumor OF the resig nation OF
President Loubet through fear Of assassination
French revolutions have been precptated on
far less provocAtion than these events. and the
very fact that this combination Of exciting causes
has not provoked an outbreak Is the strongest
possible proof of the stability OF the present Gov
eminent The microbe OF instruction always
exists In Paris In times past il was able TO in
crease and multiply and strengthen until II pro-
duced an explosion Of the body II leavened. Now
Il works for time then loses Its force and leaves
the mass sodden and inert but with the germs
OF revolution still alive But a great uprising
must have great leaders and these. at the present
time, are on the side OF the Third Republic There
are, OF COURSE conspirators against the Govern
mcnt In every country, here most Of all for they
have learned through many experiences how
easily II may be overhrown. So long as de
generate scons Of the old Kingdoms and empires
cucumber the earth they will dream OF thrones
nd treaa ndc nj ,ipS
which denies the divine right Of kings and allows
the people to make and unmake their rulers II
that great sarCophaSus which lies under the
the Dome des lnvaides could give up its dead
he might not find IL difficult to surround him
self with an army which would destroy the republic
and restore tho empire But he sleeps among
his tattered battle flags and he has no successor
From tho scattered and demoralized forces tho
weak and inefficient leaders. who represent
the opposition, there is no danger TO be feared
by the present Government It Is stronger to-
day than II six months ago President
loubet has the confidence and respect Of the peo-
pie and promises TO take high rank among the
ablest and hest Of the Presidents of France
That the spirit Of the Commune isquIsscent has
been conclusvely proved by the reception OF the
Dreyfus pardon. \ drive through the streets
the evening when il became definitely known
showed perfect quiet and order The sidewalk
cafes were crowded but the newsbOys crying their
extras found few buyers The flaming head
lines The Traitor Dreyfus Pardored" were
read with the usual French shrug Of the shout
ders, another bottle Of wine was ordered, another
cigarette lighted the countless places OF amuso-
ment undsturbed Paris drank smoked
and made merry willie the victim Of her perse-
cution was hurried away in the darkness OF night
beyond the borders OF his country which could
not guarantee his life within its confines To
grant this pardon certainly required great cour-
age on the part Of the Government but already
It Is justified In the eyes OF tho world, and the
whole world has taken cogniIance the innocence
OF Dreyfus has been established but legally he
Is still dishonored In the eyes OF tho world
the guilt OF tho French officers has been proved
and legally they also are dishonored. for this
pardon places the seal Of government dlscred.t
upon their testimony and their verdict II Drey-
fuS lives he find in higher court complete
exoneraton from the legal disg race but no trbu-
nal can remove the stain from those other names
which are inlelby written on the roll Of infaniy.
From this painful traE 'dy what relief to turn
TO the comedy of Fort Chabrol! Ii is said that
there was once a man confined seven years in
l9athsome dungeon, when one day il occurred
TO him TO open the door and walk out | wish
do has "a a
for nearly seven weeks II stands in q ma row
building just ready TO faii down two stories s in in
height with low inanslrd roof Of mossgrown
s shnge Is hss three Tn"w S in %nt Pre-
ish and double modern doors which any two
policem n could force open in as many mi nutcs.
much higher that descent upon the roof Of the
tort, would have been an easy matter. Above
within, Jules Guerin published a small anarch-
iSiic sheet devoted TO attacks on the Jews and
rested on the nth Of August he vent in this III
tie old house with fourteen Of his followers, and
snG tho de-, d"o "a hGre he for forty days
The history Of this siege is familiar to the pub
lic This building which a squad Of ordinary
been guarded night and day by 90 heavily
armed soldiers and policemen The sewer
the captives from burrowing out: line of sol.
dterf stretched across the street at each end Of
At the side Of the little building which was likely
at any moment to fall down on them: work on
stopped not carriage or pedestrian allowed
in the street. which Of course, closed all the nusi-
mss houses all this kept up for forty days!
friends like the man in the 10 thsome dungeon.
concluded 70 walk out Instead Of the fifteen
were in farl good condtio and snirits, show
ing that there must have been an Elijah to pro-
homes which they might have done any day
Guerin went 70 jail in halo OF glory. After
JOSH and how we mans s"dcs nnG re a S
do YOU think were left to guard it, Two could
Gsys eHs done once, C1Rsd ,S TO-
better move on, and there were many more patrol
ing the approaches to the street
There surely never was such a bur esQue, viewed
on the surface but was there not something serious
below \ Jew was on trial for his life and honor
at Rennes, a few hundred miles away. Tho
eyes Of tho world were on France Race feeling
Of the greatest magnitude WAS involved. The
tension, Of public feeling was extreme YThere
might have been two reasons for thi; comedy
Of Fort ChahrOl, since no could doubt that
the Government could have put stop To II at
any moment II Paris could have a spectacle
at home she would not concentrate $! much energy
on Rcnnes The newspapers could divide spaCe
between the two, The people could relieve their
feelings by laugh But isn't il all FIR nchy1
Isn't 1t theatrical2 Here, however NAV
be deeper reason :, II Guehu were arrested,
II an attack were made upon his house, il blood
were shed, a raco war would he prcciptatcd II
would be Semitic W. Auti-Ssmite and could not
fail TO affect the trial in progress at ltenneS Tho
temper OF the people two months ago was very
different from what il is now, and one cou d
toretell where an outbreak would end IL once
II started Hence the prolonged siege Of Fort
ChRbrOl.
Within twenty-fouI hours Of the definite an
nouncemcnt OF pardon for Dreyfus the author
Guerin The cost to the Government of main
timing the siege has already been about 400, 900
france. C')0"0 The builder Of the new house