The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-20
II MAY Be OVERTURNED
FRENCH GOVERNMENT SUSTAINED
A CRUSHING DEFEAT IN THE
PARIS ELECTIONS
M. MEL1NE NOW PROMINENT
He Is Slated to Succeed Nj. WaIdeck-
Rousseau as Misunderstanding
Scenes Expected When
Chamber Reconvenes
Copyrighted by the Associated Press.

PARIS, May 19.-The unexpected result
of the recent municipal elections, so I'M
favorable to the government, has thrown
France into a state of political uncer-
tainty, which the reassembling of the
chamber of deputies Thursday will help
to clear up. The opening debates will
show how the hostile feeling in Paris In
f1uenced the position of the ministry in
the proceedings at the Palais Bourbon.
Prior to the adjournment of the session,
1t was indicated that the cabinets hold
in the chamber was far from secure,
and this slap in the face received may
be followed by coup de grace from
the deputies. In any case, the fight in
the municipal arena is only the curtain
raiser to more deadly struggle between
the Nationalist and the Ministerialists
within parliament, as the Nationalist,
encouraged by their victory, are deter
mined to try a fall with Waldeck-Rous-
seau at the earliest opportunity. The
Nationalist are certain of the support of
the malcontent Republicans, headed by
eX-President Meline, who are incensed
at the Socialists tint given the ministerial
policy by the predominant influence of
NJ. Milerand, the minister of commerce,
and also by the governments Partially
towards the Dreyfus party. This Meline
faction of the moderate Republicans is
a most important factor, and it was the
votes of its members that turned the
scale against the ministers at the Paris
election.
If NJ Waldeck- Rousseau is defeated
in the chamber, M Meline is looked upon
as his most probable successor, with
policy of appeasement and the Wiping out
of the Dreyfus affair completely off the
slate. He is vehemently opposed to any
resuscitation of the Dreyfus affair after
the exposition, as is threatened by Joseph
Reinach and other Dreyfusards.
SAYS GOVERNMENT IS DOOMED.
M. Meline, interviewed on the municipal
elections, declares that the result is
crushing defeat for the government and
doubts if the latter will survive the de-
bates thereon.
at is very probable, he says, 'if the
chamber had been sitting this week, it
would already have been minority. It's
days are certainly numbered"
Count Boni de Castellane will be one Of
the first to challenge the government by
calling the attention of the chamber to
the speech of Joseph Renach, intimating
a compact exists with the ministry, &C
cording to which the Dreyfus affair will
be revived after the exposition. The Ma
tionalists' speeches and attitude since
Sunday indicate that their victory has
had SOLDERING effect upon them, and
their leaders and organs counsel modera-
ton in municipal policy. The fact is their
victory came as a surprise.
Maj. Marchand, the hero OF Fashoia, is
eager to win fresh laurels. He is an
nounced to have requested the colonial Of
flee to entrust him with a new mission In
Africa. MAJ. Marchand since his return
to France, has been holding himself in
the background in obedience to the de-
sires of the government, and has modest.
~ refrained from accepting opportunities
to be run as second B0ulanger lie
wishes to go to the region Of Lake Tschad
to organize the fruits of the recent
French expedition and to put French in
tuence in South Africa on a more secure
basis. -
THAT ALLEGED ABDUCTION.
After a weeks careful investigation by
the police, 10 trace has been found of the
alleged abductors of the authoress "Gyp'
(Comtesse de Janville), nor Of the mys.
FERROUS chateau in which she asserts she
was held a prisoner. There are not lack-
ing persons who are skeptical regarding
the story, especially as "Gyp' admits that
she is not sure she could recognize tina
chateau or her abductors. The police
have made number of night excursions
in company with "Gyp,'' ever the pos.
sible area wherein the cha teau might be
situated. Many amusing incidents have
Dcen the result, but the search has been
without practical outcome. This is not
the first enigmatical adventure in which
tie authOress has claimed to have fig
ured Several years ago, she related q
story of yelled woman throwing vitriol
at her in the Pare dc Monceaus. The po-
lice inquiries regarding this story werS
fruttleSS. Later, an unknown man, she
narrated, rang the bell Of her houses on
the Boulevard Bineau, in the middle Of
the night. She opened the window and
looked out, when the man fired q shot
from revolver at her, the ball flatten>
ing itself against the window frame. The
police investigation in this case also was
without result.
Though more than month has gone
by since the opening Of the exposition,
there are still every important exhibits
Eich have not been opened to the pub
lie, and large sections remain in the
hands of the workmen. The effective
night illumination of the buildings and
grounds, which was to be one of the most
attractive features, is still delayed. The
fire in the Chateau d'IGau is largely re.
sponsible for this setback, all the switch
boards regulating the electric illumina-
ton having been destroyed in the flames
which, it is now declared, had been start
ed in revenge, by a dismissed employee.
The statement is not 0verdrawn that
another month must elapse before the eX-
position is open in it's entirety.