New-York tribune., 1902-05-13
THE RESULT N FRANCE.

The second poliings in France on Sunday give
cause for hearty satisfaction The government
has been sustained. Even In radical Parls.
which fortnight ago seemed TO be soiidly ar
rayed against ii. ii has secured considerable
number of seats and NJ. Millerand-the Social
ist member of the Cabinet, who was Of all most
obnoxious 10 the Observation-Disclosures been
reelected Throughout the departments the
elections were largely favorable to the govern
ment, and in Algeria the opposition was COM
pletely defeated, which latter is cause for espe-
ca congratulation, seeing that there the forces
of disorder were particularly active. The net
result is that the Ministerial majority in the
new Chamber of Deputies will be larger than it
was in the old 1t will still be composite.
formed of several factions But there seems
to be no reason to doubt that these will work
together just as harmoniOusly and the coalition
will he preserved just as securely as for the
last three years
There seems to be a general expectation that
NJ. Waldeck- Rousseau will retire from the head
of the Ministry and that the Cabinet will be
reorganized. That may be possible, though it is
to be hoped it will not occur. NJ. Waldeck-Rous-
seau has done the work for which he was called
to the head of the Cabinet. He has done II
we'll and has won the approval of his country
men as we'll as of the world at large. He has
kept his Cabinet in office much longer than any
other in the history of the republic, and has
been victorious in the general elections, securing
the nations ratification of his administration
and charter for its continuance. 1t is well
known however, that he has long been desirous
of retiring from office. and he will, of course,
now have the opportunity of doing so volun-
tarly with all possible honor He can meet the
new Chamber. receive from il q vote of conf
dence and then step down and out leaving the
succession TO some one who will in the main
continue his policies
The latter point is the important one and it is
the one in which people outside Of France take
most interest The Third Republic has suffered
from too frequent changes of government and
of governmental policy. There is impro-
priety in saying so. since the fact is frankly
recognized and publicly declared by French
men themselves. What is needed is greater
stability or continuity of administration. NJ.
Waldecl Rousseau has given the republic
we have said the longest continuous admins
tratiOn in it's history. That fact in itself has
had and will continue TO have its beneficial ef
feet If now the new Chamber shall keep in
power for three or four years more a ministry
which will be practically q continuation Of his.
a new and auspiciouS era will he opened for
France in her political life. Beyond doubt
France needs some changes of system;
what country does not? But it will he well to
have such changes made by the friends and
not by the foes of the republic, and to have
them made through peaceful and logical evolu-
ton rather than through spasmodc and violent
revolution It is in this view of the case that
the result of the late elections is to be regarded
as most auspicous.