New-York tribune., 1901-07-16
A LONGLIVED MINISTRY.
WORK OF THE wALDECK-
CABINET IN A TINE OF CRISIS.
Paris. June of.

Paris. June %
When the waldeck- Rousseau Ministry came
into power June %. 1899 no one dreamed
that ii would last beyond the Dreyfus court
martial at Rennes. II was regarded on all sides
as temporary expedency' which would en-
able the decision of the Court of Cessation to be-
carried out in regard to the trial of Drey-
fus without plunging the country into civil war
Nevertheless this temporary expediency" has
remained for over two years. and If waldeck-
Rousseaus Cabinet is not ousted before Sep
tember 20 it will have become the most long
lived of the Third Republic. 1t is already fourth
on the list in respect TO longevity. The three
which beat its record the Meline Ministry,
which came into Office April 20. 1896. and
lasted two years. two months and day; the
Jules Ferry Ministry. wherein NJ. waldeck-Rous-
seau held the portfolio of the Interior which
formed on February 81. 1883 and lasted
two years. two months and thirteen days, and
the Ministry OF THEIRS which began on Febru-
airy 10. 1871. and lasted two years two months
and twenty-nine days.
Since the fall of tA Second Empire on Septen-
Der 4, 1870. thirty-two Ministries have sue
ceeded each other in France. and the average
life of Ministry under the Third Republic Is so
far, nine months Sixteen Ministries lasted
longer than the average. which eighteen never
attained The most shortlived Ministry was
that Of NJ Dufaure which came into Office
May 1S 1873, and lasted only seven days and
next to this stands the Rochebouet Ministry OF
November % 1877. which came 20 the end of it's
tether in twenty days.
1t is curious in this connection TO note how
rapidly political men are rolled through the min
isterial mill In thirty years the number Of
Senators Deputies who have been Ministers
or under Ministers is 231 OF these 105 have
been In office once. 50 twice. 81 three times. 13
etra- -
six times ; seven times. eight times. nine
times ten times, 8 eleven times and twelve
times-the one who holds the record being NJ.
de Freycinet.
In spite of its long life the WaIdeck- Rousseau
Ministry has been most vigorously attacked by
the Clericals and Nationalists. II was my good
fortune to be present in the Chamber Of
Deputies that hot June afternoon two years
ago when the Ministry OF Republicans de De-
fence" first appeared before the Chamber. The
shouts and yeEs of derision which greeted NJ.
Waldeck- Rousseau as he ascended the tribune
TO read his declaration of policy were deafening.
The Prime Minister wore a dark blue coat and
trousers. and he so trembled with nervousness
that those near him could hear the sheets Of
paper which he held in his hand rattle against
each other. NJ. Deschanel, the President of the
Chamber broke his bell in endeavoring to re-
store silence and ii was not until fully ten min
utes had elapsed that he succeeded in making
himself heard. Meanwhile. a group Of socialists,
bearing in mind the executions OF communists
ordered by General de Galliffet in 1871. shook
their fists at the Minister Of War and yelled
Assassin" '" Murderer"
The number of interpretations which the Wal
deck Rousseau Ministry has successfully dealt
with during the two years OF its existence is
forty-1ve. OF these twenty-nine ended with
votes of confidence. ten with resolutions TO
pass TO the order OF the day" and six resulted
in such confusion 10 those who proposed them that
no vote was taken. No less than one hundred
and forty-three interpretations were formally
registered against the waIdeck-Rousseau Min
istry and OF these forty-five were debated. fifty
| one were withdrawn by their authors, and forty
seven remain on the registry for future discus
sion This is good evidence Of the parliamentary
activity of the opposition.
To the waldeck- Rousseau Ministry belongs
the credit OF Steering the country out OF the
| Dreyfus agitation at time when civil war was
! imminent The timely proposal OF the Amnesty
bill enabled the country 10 pull itself together.
| NJ Waldeck- Rousseau has secured majorities in
both Senate and Chamber on the Associations
| bill at a time when the Pope seemed inclined 70
measure his strength against the aggressive
| schemes OF the French Republic The Repub-
ucan financial extravaganza is now the most
imminent peril for the Cabinet which, If IL holds
| out until the end OF September next, will have
| been in office longer than any other Ministry
| during the existence of the Third Republic.