The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-06
SEATTLE. THURSDAY, DEC. ..
They Talk Too Much.


spoke Of . political antagonist as
= "'sophistical rhetorician. intoxicated
with the exubernncs OF his own verbos-
n.y. Tho stilted phrase has become his
toric, and the latter part Of IT seems par
ticuiariy applicable to nation that cher
ixhes inherited and impacabie hostility
against Great Britain. To be "intoxicat-
ed witt the exuberance Of their own YER
bosisy'' il one OF the chronic weaknesses
Of the French people; or. in the less
rhetorical and more profsne phrase OF the
suffering parrot they talk too much"
Mercter, OF evil notoriety IN connection
with the nreyfus case His utterance
m the French senate. relative TO the pos
kibslity OF an invasion OF England. Ia a
mere bid for notoriety. by man who has
studied hts audience. He knows that there
r. nothing which viii, intoxicate France
more speedily than talk OF this sort. He
sees the whole nation carried into a par
oxysm Of verhosisy by the progress
through Il OF Precedent Kruger That.
too, ~ translated into action. means MOTH
Ing at ali. But Gen Mercier. who Is
on. Of the worst characters developed
IN France by devotion to an odious mill
tary system. with a reputation in sad
need Of repair. thinks tina, he@ees an op-
.,artunity to rehabllitate himself by adj
ministering 20 the people at this juncture
another dram OF alcoholic words.
The delirium OF speech has played a
large ana unhappy part In the past history
OF France Going back no farther than
the revelation. one finds the Impulse to
mad deeds in lneendisry utteranees from
the tribune All the excuses which
changed movement for human relief
frcm tyranny into an orsie of blood. which
made freedom the handmaiden of drs.
rntism, sprang primarily from the ensc,
Gpen popular passion Of frenzy OF rhe-
teric. stirring phrase had more power
then and has had more since than the
plans OF statesmen or the resources a,
diplomacy. u was the cry. "on 10 Der.
Him." thirty years ago that blinded the
reorie e. every calculation OF military
possibilities, and carried them exuItins
into The vortex OF the most disastrous
even, that ever wroushi upon the fame
and fortunes Of France.
The Tsutosic races are less suhtee, ',
tho Authorizations that rise from over.
indulxrncc IN speech. They are sun
clensly addicted heaven knows. 10 pogt
heal defamation; but they rvtaia wfha
. pretty definite notion Of the line be
tween TALKING aud doinS With tha French
people ono can never hc certain when a,
kayts the bordcrland, Thsy are cspahl'
Of unbelievable Eashncss as the afteg.st
fest q eratory. The history az Paris Il
fall 81 impartans events which began Il
the frossy talk % the cafes and ~
tsuievarts, The history u Franee "a,
been iasusnced by an splsram ana ~
nastiss have ehansed By the aellrium .
. pcpaiaee sast huns apcn words ra,hel
than thoughts or facts
s. nNae san ten whether fuimlaAslo,
nks that q Meroiss viii b. wrt,tea 8owr
as F&rs q history or ef political oar
iessue. Francs has. indcei saiaea ssa
allitS ana fore,hoasht. Bar race caar
eetertiscs perish slowly AMI this osshoo
q tAe tatlH stock remains oapabls a
stvapge wFtem and SIN stranger fs1i,
~aoa FlSyeA upon BY the mere pAsase
mqeKeF. Mercior IS 100 eoasenpsias,
agare- aewever, 20 poss satisfactorily a,
ssreetaF u destiny. Playing 70 a.,
sasse cvowis who have everywhere don.
Aenag &c Mr.. Nrasey, solely TO lrrttasY
Great Brstasa. Ne as veil as they VII
psssasss accomplish nothing more TIA,
10 make The position Of France stnl raer,