The San Francisco call., 1899-06-26
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PARIS, June 25.-It is like building
upon quicksand TO try to prognosticate
the fate of the new Ministry to-mor-
row. Still, the wind seems blowing in
favor of supporting it. AS a matter of
fact, surprise at the rather hetero-
genuous composition of the Cabinet has
been the much more pronounced senti-
ment than hostility toward it, with the
exception of the virulent anti-Dreyfus
section of the press-that is to say,
those papers that are pledged up to- the
neck to keep Dreyfus guilty. Even the
opposition press has regarded the min
istry with more sorrow than anger.
If you take the vote of the Paris
morning journals as a whole, the result
will be decidedly for the Waldeck- -Rous-
seau Government. Fourteen papers
support it, eight oppose and three
straddle the fence Those who favor it
are the Amore and LIE Steele, both re-
visionist organs; LIE Figaro, conserva-
tive; La Fronde, LIE Matin, LIE Petit
parisienne (Which, by the way, be-
longs to Jean Dupuy, the new Minister
OF Agricultural, and LIE Petit Bleu, all
Republican organs; La Lanterne, La
Petite Republique, LIE VOltaire, lie So
cialiste, LIE Radical, LIE Rappel, LIE
Dixneuvieme Steele, all radical papers,
and LIE Soleil, organ of the Conserva-
tive monarchical party.
Those opposing the Government are
L'Antorite, Cassaignac's Bonapartist
sheet; L'Echo de Paris, LIE Petit Jour
nal. L'Intransigean all of which dub
themselves Nationalist papers, what
ever that may mean; L'Eclair, Repub
lican; LIE Gaul0is, monarchical; La
Libre Parole, antiSemitic and LIE Jour
nal du People, which is openly anarch-
istic in it's doctrines.
The straddlers are LEvenement, lie
Gil Bias and LIE Journal. Therefore,
even if the undecided papers should
throw in their lot with the opposition,
the Government has three majority in
the morning press. This is not so bad,
and at any rate disposes of the claim
of the Nationalists that the whole press
regards the new Ministry with stupe-
faction. The evening papers are di-
vided upon fairly the same basis. LIE
Temps and LIE Journal Des Debats, be-
ing Conservative, support the Govern
ment, though without enthusiasm. La
Patrie and LIE Soir are enthusiastic
enough, but against it.
General De Gallifet's letter to chiefs
Of the army made a noticeable impress
sion. LIE Steele says he has laid down
the law in very clear terms. He should
ers the responsibility for the chiefs, but
reminds them they are personally re-
sponsible to him, and he is not the man
to let them forget.
If any officer feels inclined to reply to
the journalist through the medium of an
order of the day, read to the assembled
troops, with brass band just lined up
for the ceremony, he may be sure that
punishment will be set rolling down the
line by General De Gallifet until he
lands on the offenders head. Officers
who sinned in this respect have already
had an illustration of this and have
been transferred to other posts in the
provinces as warning.
Spare the rod and spoil the child"
The army is Gallifet's child, and he will
not see it spoiled.
BREST, June 25.-The French first
class cruiser Tage put to sea this even
ing, the official explanation being that
she has gone to experiment with car
rier pigeons. She is, however, a much
larger cruiser than the SfaX, which is
bringing Captain Dreyfus, and the dis
patch of big vessel with carrier pig
cons is quite unprecedented. Usually
torpedo boat is sent, and the opinion
therefore gains ground that the Tage
has gone to meet the Sfax and to take
Captain Dreyfus on board. The pigeons
can be used to announce the transfer,
and the Tage might proceed to another
port to land the prisoner. AS against
this theory and as an indication that
the landing of Dreyfus will be effected
here, there is the fact that large num-
Der of gendarmes from the country
around Brest are arriving or expected
to arrive tonight. The treasurer of the
famous IAague of the French Bathar.