New-York tribune., 1901-07-01
FRENCH POLITICS.
THE OUTLOOK FOR THE ELECTIONS OF
NAY. 1ooe-A POLITICAL ARREST.

last general elections, by which the present
Chamber of Deputies was elected took place in
May 1S9S when the total number Of votes cast
was 7455 900 out of II 100000 voters registered
This was increase OF 10000 votes over those
cast in 1898, and compared with the results o..
the latter year the elections of 1898 showed that
the Radicals and Radical Socialists gained
454 900 votes, the Socialists pure and simple
26O000 the Rallied Republicans 100000. while
the Progressive Republicans lost $4,000 votes
and the Conservatives $4,000. Had the cleo
tions of 1898 taken place by "scrutin de liste.
as the Radicals and Socialists hoped. In
stead of by "scrutn darrondissement, the
Radical and Socialist gains would have been
considerably greater. The Radice.s and So
cialist leaders express greatest confidence
in the results Of the elections of 1902 and
in spite of the split in their party at the re-
cent Lyons Congress. declare that their gains at
the polls will far exceed those of 1898. The Rad
icals and Socialists just as they did In ls9s. are
already agitating TO secure the scrutin de liste.
under which all the Deputies of whole depart
ment. comprising. as is often the case dozen
twenty ACCOMPLISHMENTS, would be elected G.
q single ticket just Presidential electors are
chosen in the United States. All the other po-
ltical parties, however seem resolved to main
tain the "scrutin acknowledgements" under which
the Deputies are chosen by individual arrondisse
ment or district just the Representatives in
the United States chosen
The Radical and Socialist leaders also
making efforts to extend the electoral franchise
by mitigating the application of judicial dis
qualification. To appreciate this it should be
borne in mind that the electoral franchise under
the Third Republic is based upon the organic
decree promulgated by Louis Napoleon on Feb
ruary q 1852. just two months after the coup
d'etat which provides that "all Frenchmen who
have attained the age of twenty-one, ana VINO
have not by judicial condemnation lost their
civil and political capacity, have the right 10 De
electors without any fiscal or other quailhca-
ton" The judicial condemnations ich carry
with them electoral disqualification are. however.
very numerous. and are invariably applied with
great severity. A sentence of imprisonment for
instance for watering milk. mixing suet with
butter. or other authorizations of food exposed
for sale is a perpetual electoral disqualification
which can never be removed. The Socialists
hope to show that deprivation of the franchise
under such circumstances is too severe a PEN
atty, especially when coupled with imprison-
ment.
THE ISSUE OF FXTRAVACANCE.
While the Radicals. Socialists and Collectiv-
lists are thus trimming their sails for the general
comprising Royalsts we'll as Imperialists. is
making a great effort to win to it's side
wealthy moderate Republicans who feel alarmed
at the reckless extravaganza of the Republican
budgets and who resent the radical legislation
devised to impose heavier burdens upon capital
For offensive purposes the noisy little bands Of
NationaIists and Anti-Semites act with the
Catholic Reaction. The Religious Associations
bill. the Workman's Compensation Act. and the
proposed income tax. are all three supported by
the heterogeneous elements of discomfort. and
will be used for all they worth to injure the
present parliamentary republic. The Opposition
meanwhile intends to harass the government
with guerilla warfare after the plan of Count de
I.ur- -SaIuces who. by compelling the ministry TO
cOnvoke the Senate as High Court of Justice
for his trial on Monday. June "a, hopes 20 cause
serious embarrassment to President Loubet and
his advisers. BY posing martyr NJ. de Lur-
Saluces strives to dIscredit the Republicans in
the eyes of voters who form their opinions dur
ing the summer holidays ImperiaIists. Royal
lists and Nationalists already watching
events with eagerness and are prepared to fish
in troubled waters. Just now the Bonapartists
have more prestige than all the other elements
of the Opposition combined, but they have no
leader; they are conscious of their inability to
stand alone and they know full we'll that at the
first political success their present allies would
become their most bitter foes Edmond Rostand,
Sarah Bernhard Constant COqueIln, Jeanne
GTanler. and half the prettest actresses of Paris
are probably at heart BOnapartists-the salons OF
the Princess Mathlde Bonaparte and the recep-
tiOns of women of the princely families of
Murat, dElchinsen, Wagram and those of the
Duchesse dc Bassano, Duchesse de Trevise
Duchesse de Valance and Duchesse d'Auer-
staedt serve to strengthen the Napoleonic legend.
Nos Of tha Do and all
the fashionable dressmakers and jewellers in
the Rue de la Paix are Imperialists and half the
officers OF the army would not be averse 10 see
Ing a restoration of the Imperial Purple and the
Napoeonic bees. But the Bonapartist gospel
does not extend to the masses and remains a
fashionable fad and literary sentiment.
THE ARREST OF DE LUR-SALUCEs
Whenever the general elections come in sight
political events and episodes in France assume
a picturesque or theatrical aspect. The latest
example of this was the arrest Of Count de Lur-
saluces who returned unrecognized TO France
Notwithstanding the judgment Of the High
Court ot Justice, wtlcS sentenced him TO banish-
ment for c.aspirscy against the republic. The
count had berU GnmOlested for Fortnight after
his unauthorized return - PcrIs but on
June NJ. Hamard. assistant director OF
the government detective police. called at his
TeSibeHUc Win warrant OF arrest signed by
NJ. Bernard, Procurator- General OF the High
Court. 1t was 1:i5 p. The count has not
yet come ln but he is expected every moment"
said the footman. Il must wait for him. then"
replied III Hamard, and the footman ushered the
detective into waiting room. At Sis the count
came home in his victoria with his Wife and
walked straight into the dining room NJ
Hamard at once put his visiting card in an
envelope and footman carried IL on a silver