New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-02
FRENCH CABINET PROSPECTS.

rba announcement that DR. Combes INTENDS
10 retire from the French Prime Ministershlp
upon the reassembling of Parliament Is re-
rarded by not few with certain degree vi
cyuicism 1t is always quite appropriate, iheS
saw for a man TO retire from an untehaoi'
place and it is more graceful to do so Soluli-
tarily than TO be forcibly expelled Such we"
Of tha case NAV he extreme So, too, may be
the current suspicion that the French Govern
ment has welcomed the little trouble IN Slaln'
in order to drown domestic dissensions IN sea
of foreign glory" There is, however, no 1gnor-
ing the fact that DR. COmbeS has, by MS eA-
IRENE enforcement of the law dealing with re-
ligious associations, alenated many former sup
porters UNNECESSARILY intensified the enmlty or
his foes. strengthened and consolidated the OPP
position, and gravely imperilled his prospects
of commanding majority in the Chamber of
Deputies. In such case It may be well that he
has decided to retire not precisely under fire.
but before the actual firing begins. Whether
he can in doing so, justly claim that be has
satisfactorily completed the work for which he
was called TO office is another and very differ
ent question
Beyond doubt. DR.. Combes was expected to
deal with the clerical question. His predeces-
sor had undertaken to do so, and had made
good progress in the work A law had been
made giving the government authority over
clerical as we'll secular corporations, and 1t
had been enforced to a considerable extent We
are not sure that it had not been enforced as
far rs the author had intended 1t to be Ger
tainly NJ Waldeck- Rousseau and his colleagues
never gave any indication of intending to APP
ply it in any such way as DR. Combes has done,
though they were not lacking in courage to do
anything which they considered lawful and eX-
pedient Whether they refrained from this ex-
tTeme application of the measure on the ground
that It was not lawful. that it was not ex-
pedient we cannot confidently declare; but this
is certain, that many friends of the anticlerical
law are inclined to think its operations have
now been carried further than would be ap-
proved by the courts. Thus DR.. Combes has
insisted that the law requiring branch estab~
Nshments OF authorized associations to secure
special authorization has a retroactive effect,
and he has thus applied it. But NJ Wadeck-
Rousseau expressly declared, while the bill was
under debate in Parliament that il was not in
tended to be retroactive. In his execution of
the law he did not make it retroactive. and in
formal opinion expressed just before he quilted
office he repeated the declaration that 1t was
not retroactive.
In waging his extreme campaign against the
conventual schools DR.. Combes has doubtless
pleased the Radicals and Socialists. He is him
self 4 Radical But he has as certainly forfeited
the support of many Republicans who We're I'M
wavering In their support OF NJ. Waldeck-Rous-
seau. and who expected TO be equally loyal to
| the Combes Ministry. He has also united all
the various dynastic and antrepubican groups
perhaps as they never before have been. and he
| has strained perlously TO the breaking
| point the Republican Radical-Socinlist alliance
| which for several years has provided the min
| isterial Majority In the Chamber When Par
| lament reassembes there is to be great
| battle over the school question, whether DR..
Combes retires or not. II as now seems probable.
| he quits Office, either voluntarily In advance
| in obedience TO an adverse vote, there will
| arise the serious question whether any one else,
even NJ. Wsldeck- Rousseau himself, can re-
| establish ministerial majority. Some of the
Republicans who deserving DR.. Combes are
| likely to decline to re-enter such alliance
| less the Radical element is more completely
subordnated to the Republican, and on the
| other hand the Radicals and Socialists, having
had their taste of power. are likely to carry
| their pretensions and requirements still fur
| Their, and thus to make Republican cooperation
! with them still more distastefui and difficult
| In any the outlook is stormy one and
may well cause some concern TO the friends of
| France.