New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-16

NOT party It is the republic, that Is nj STAKE
wherefore they prefer the stern old warrior anu
his "wliff of grape TO an Orleans Prince anu
the unspeakabe Esterhazy. We believe That
majority of the Chamber and OF France VIII
agree with them. 80,
The future programme of the Government VIII
comprise. according to NJ. Guerlac, furtner re-
form of the army especially in the direction OF
lessening the authority of courts martial In time
NJ neace Indeed. their actual abolition has been
eravelv suggested. on the not altogether iloglcai
cround that there Is no more reason for having
military courts than for having agricultural
courts or special courts and systems OF 1urspr'i-
dence for any other classes of people. That Is
an extreme view Of the case, yet, as we have
said not Illogical If Inter arma leges silent,
then similarly Inter leges arma silent II IN
time of war military law supersedes civil law,
even in dealing with civilians, then in time OF
peace civil law should supersede military law
even in dealing with the army. Now we are
not urging the application of that principle mere
or in France or anywhere, but simply noting
that 1t Is seriously put forward by many
thoughtful men in France. and that, moreover,
there is little doubt that the system OF letting
the army within the republic be sort OF I'M
perium In imperio" has unquestonabiy leo 10
much of the recent and present trouble. In di-
vesting the military courts of measure OF their
power and thus making the army IN time OF
peace more clearly subject TO the civil govern
ment. the Marquis de Galliffet and his col
leagues will be doing what we must regard,
from the American point Of view, as benehcent
thing.
The second item Of the programme is more
difficult 1t Is nothing less than suppression
of the political activities Of various Roman
Catholic Church organizations. There is no more
delicate and dangerous task before any EURO
pean Government than that, as Otto Won Bis
marck and Jules Ferry both discovered. In the
present case il will be particularly difficult be-
cause of the necessity Of retaining the friendship
Of the Church In general while warning against
parts Of IT. The republic has no cause 10 COM
plain of the attitude Of Leo NH or OF the Nati'
can as a whole, or Of many Of the prelates ana
clergy of France These either are friendly 10
the republic or, at any rate, refrain from hosui'
ity to It, The complaint is of certain organiza'
tions within the Church and of certain Church
publications which have been and are intensely
hostile 10 the republic and in open sympathy
with those who are plotting for its overthrow
The theory OF the Government is that 1t has
right 10 suppress treason under clerical as well
as under secular garb, and that 1t has all the
more right to deal with these hostile clerlcs
since they are stipendiaries Of the republic. Tne
Church is n State Church, and therefore the
more under State control. II the controversy
could be confined to the small part OF the
Church which has actually given offence there
would be little difficulty in settling It, The dan
ger is that an attack upon one may be deemed
an attack upon all, and that the republic VIII
thus find the whole Church, its august head in
cluded, arrayed against It,
But We shall see. The attitude OF the Govern
ment toward the army Is much strengthened by
the fact that one of the Ministers is the most dis
tinguished soldier now living In France. SO its
position In dealing with the religious orders
should be strengthened by the presence OF faith
ful Churchmen within the Ministerial circle.
The demonstrations of Tuesday in the Chamber
of Deputies were mere straws The full force or
the wind will be felt to-day or in few days
hereafter. The Ministry is made OF the sort OF
stuff that should be aole 10 stand four-square TO
anv and all winds that blow For the sake or
the republic and for the sake Of the army and OF
the Church. too it is to be hoped that II Will thus
stand, a veritable tower Of strength.