Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-24
France and the Transvaal Again the
Centers of Interest.
SALISBURY fAV0RS ARBITRATION
A Determined Attack to Be Made
on the South Pole.
LONDON'S LIVELY SEASON
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
LONDON, June IA, 1892
France and the Transvaal are again the
centers of interest. The overthrow of Mr..
Dupuys cabinet may be regarded in part
as one of those playful frisks in which the
French political world is apt to indulge
when things are going fairly well. In part
also 1t is sign of the increased influence
of the extreme republicans and socialists in
consequence of the developments Of the
Dreyfus case.
NJ. Dupuy was tolerated as long as there
was any obvious danger threatening from
the royalist camp and the heads of the
army; but more than a week ago there
were negotiations between the advanced
sections of the chamber of deputies and the
moderate republicans of the senate upon
the question of providing a successor to
him. The civil authorities are now rehabil-
itated. The sentence passed on Baron
| Christiani yesterday for striking NJ. Lou
bet at Auteuil shows an intention to main
tain the republic against all attacks. 1t is
at once vindication and warning.
The decision in the case of Colonel Pic
quart who is now relieved of the charges
now hanging over him. is further evidence
of the growing strength of the forces of
law and order. NJ Dupuy, though head of
the government under which the republic
has turned her dangerous corner, does not
seem to have had his heart in the business.
He has been swayed by the influence of the
heads of the army on several occasions,
and in the last week authorized the release
of the son of the Count de Nun and of 9TH
er young men of wealth and position who
shared in the demonstration against the
president. Partisan opinion attributes to
him desire to conciliate the more moder-
ate of the royalists and the rallies-the roy
alists who few years ago giving effect
to the policy of papacy, rallied to the side
Of the republic
Trimmed His Sails.
NJ. Dupuy, it is said. does not believe in
the stability Of President Loubet, and trim
med his sails so that he might have a
chance of following him whenever vacan-
cy should occur in the presidency. To this
end on Sunday, while giving the president
more protection" than there was any need
for, he encouraged the police to look sharp
ly after the republicans and socialists, so
that some of these were attacked and ar
rested simply for shouting "Vive lie repub-
lique."
The defeat of the Dreyfus conspirators
and of the assailants of the republic is
largely the work of the extreme republic
cans and socialists. Upon the moderates
must be the responsibility for having been
duped or cowed into acquiescence in the
most sCandalous injustice of modern times,
and moderate republicanism necessarily
suffers for the sins or weakness of its rep
resentatives
Desire of the Radicals.
The radicals want to have their turn;
not indeed to be actually In authority, for
which they are not quite strong enough in
the chamber and senate, but to have in
power a government more nearly in touch
with them; and 1t is probable that Presi-
dent Loubet will shape his cabinet making
far n give them satisfaction
M. Loubet belongs to a class which in
France exists as a barrier against social
ism. He is of the peasantry-small culti-
Vating owners of the land, who have con-
tributed largely to what Is best in French
art literature and public life. and who are
guarantee for stability such no other
great nation possesses. There Is no posi-
bity of his being as was President Faure
under the influence of Partisan society
Whatever the new ministry may be, it will
possess a thoroughly republican character.
All is Well.
As I have said, the ministerial crisis may
be taken as a sign that all is going we'll
with the republic, for 1t Is a peculiar fea-
ture of French political life that the fate of
a cabinet does not seem to matter. The
Paris correspondent of the Times hits the
situation off very aptly when he reports a
conversation he had with a Paris police
man. The gendarme says that 80 far from
frequent changes of ministry b5ing detri-
mental to France, what pleases people in
the republic is that ministers do not last
long. Under the empire, ministers had the
appearances Of being appointed for life.
They were all little emperors and this end
ed by annoying everybody, whereas now,
when there is a bad minister, people say:
1t will not last long. and we can wait, nor
Is there long to wait. Do not be excited.
We can make new start, that is ALL"
The doctrine is a convenient one; the
practice is attended with the disadvantage
10 T,pr Won't nf11 ta]o
too strong for the parliamentary executive
there is no efficient control over them. The
military heads of the army have ruled sew
eral cabinets during thu last five wears and
even that of NJ. Brisson, who favored re-
vision, and had to give way to NJ. Dupuy,
could not deal with them. But the fact that
France can bear frequent changes in her
government is one TO bs borne in mind as a
proof of her ability to overcome difficulties
which might become too great for countries
like Germany or Italy.
The crisis will soon be over, for in NJ
Loubet France seams to have lust such a
president as she needs.
Trouble In the TransvaaI
In the Transvaal the situation is mora
serious. I believe we are on the eva of the
real struggle between England and the
South African Republic. The trouble has
been smoldering for many years, with &C.
casional outbreaks, and the critical time
When this country seems about to finally
appears to be rapidly approaching An
Englishman said to me the other day: "The
war of the American revolution was merely
an episode in the life of Great Britain, and
Englishmen look back upon it without re-
sentiment of any kind. But the defeat at
Majuba Hill rankies sorely, and we will
never rest satisfied until 1t be redressed."
Add to this feeling the fact that Great Bri-
tain covets the burghers' gold-laden land.
and you have the reason for the continued
agitation over the Transvaal
Tne danger that most threatens in the
situation Is that President Kruger, with ali
his keenness. may play into the hands of
the extremists in Britain, who are already
srasping at poor excuses for the EMPLOY
ment OF force. So long as the franchise
proposals are treated as a strictly autono-
nous affair, that Is. as proposals wholly
within the competence of the Boer state to
yield or to refuse, Britain can have no lust
casus belh. however, strong her title
70 demonstrate against state Of things
tfat imperils order in South Africa. 1t is
only when Mr.. Kruger steps beyond the
technical and legal rights of a republican,
1oylng full internal independence that the
situation will have become truly critical.
How Trouble May Come.
Suppose Mr.. Kruger. to give more definite
shape to his demand for arbitrating the diff
hat he