New-York tribune., 1902-03-30
PARIS.
PREPARING FOR THE APRIL ELECTIONS.

MEMBERS OF CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES SAID
TO BE WORSE THAN MARCH HAREs THIS
MONTH METROPOLITAN TRANSIT.
Copyright: 1902 BY The Tribune Assooiatlon)
Especial to The Tribune by French Cable.I
Paris March 29-The last days Of the present
session of the Chamber OF Deputies appropri-
ately described by the Journal des Debats"
its death agony. are characterized by parlia-
nentary chaos and incoherence that have called
forth bitter denunc;atIon from the newspapers
OF every shade of political opinion, ranging from
the reactionary "Gaulois'' TO the socialist Petite
Republique." from the Royalist "Soei" TO the
Communard "Intransgeant." Drumont's Lii
bre Parole" the Bonapartist "Autorte," the
conservative journal des Debats" and even the
two strongest ministerial organs, the Temps"
and the 'Matin." all join in the chorus Of de-
nunciation. and agree that the March Deputies
at least IN years when general elections occur
are far worse than March hares. A visitor to
the sittings in the Palais Bourbon might well
imagine that the nation was on the eve Of a
great revolution.
The reappearance IN the Chamber Of N. Wal
ck-Rousseau, now fully recovered from his
recent carriage accident, was greeted with ex-
clamations OF "Morituri te salutant" This
humorous expression of Partisan wit seemed
about TO be followed with active. sensible legis-
lative business, but suddenly a series of the
most extraordinary measures were proposed and
voted offhand. among these a bill stipulatng
for weekly day Of obligatory rest for shop
assistants including workmen and workwomen,
whether in the public service or not. This ap-
plies to cooks. walters, hotels. restaurants and
oonfectioneTs, and would cripple the hotels
and restaurants that they would have to close
their doors one day in the week. Then the Cham
her again took the bit in its teeth, and nearly
upset the naval programme of four years, al
ready approved and adopted by the Chamber
itself and then proceeded TO vote the repeal of
three laws adopted by the Constitutional AS
sembly of 1874, which the Chamber alone, with
out a conjoint session with the Senate Is en-
tirely incompetent to DO.
The Journal des Debats," in a leading article,
declares that the present Legislative insanity
manifested by the Deputies is the severest blow
TO the parliamentary regime witnessed in
France for many years" The Ministerial Ma
tin" to-day states the sooner the country in
sists the custom Of dissolving the Chamber
fully three months before the general elections
the better. To allow the Deputies to run riot
until the last day Of their mandate has become a
national calamity
One instance illustrates how the time Of the
Chamber is wasted with electioneering devices.
Yesterday a group Of a dozen Nationalsts sud
denly managed to introduce a bill calling on the
government TO decide at once on the project of
reducing the price Of gas in the city Of Paris
from four cents and a fraction cubic yard to
three cents a cubic yard. The Cabinet, how
ever. IS poweriess TO decide this question be-
cause the city rates for gas in Paris depend
upon contracts between the city and the gas
company. which neither the Cabinet nor even
The Chamber itself is competent 10 impair. The
object OF the Nationalists nevertheless was OBJ
~
position papers print stirring appeals in huge
type to the citizens Of Paris. melting them to
rise man against the government that
''robs the Parisians by preventing them from
having their gas at three cents a cubic yard in
stead Of four cents, and calling upon them to
remember the cent thus extorted from them
when the day OF elections comes" The Ma
tionalsts and CIericals are working together
on q dozen lines of which this gas business IS
an example.
The indications are that the coming contest
will be a very fierce one bringing into activity
all the latent passions Of religion and caste but
moderate and impartial observers do not hesi-
tate TO predict that there will be sweeping
defeat Of aggressive Nationalsm. the French
Boxers. everywhere throughout the country ex-
cept. perhaps in Paris alone.
The Parisians are so much pleased with
that the municipal authorities have ar
ranged for the gigantic development and exten-
sion OF the system. Six new lines We're planned
some time ago. on which excavation and build
ing are already proceeding. 1t is now proposed
70 construct seven more underground electric
railways and a concession has also been granted
for private line, 10 be called the Berlier Tube
which is TO pass in the form of "a parabola
across Paris from north to south, thus making
iR all fourteen new metropolitan electric lines
Paris. which has the advantage Of being a
round city, and not oblong one like New
York. will thus be traversed by numbers OF
electric routes in all directions and will present
the appearance Of a skilfuly prepared grape
fruit, with hbres and cuttings radiating from
the centre and intersecting with other fbres
forming concentric circles within its rind. The
estimated cost of the seven new lines is
S37, 600. 600, which Is at the rate of S1,120OOC
q mile.
The city OF Paris is already authorized by
Parliament to issue a preliminary loan o
S33. 100000 for the metropolitan construction