The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-09
BY ]. CORNELY.


SPECIAL BY CABLE 70 THE NEW YORK
HERALD AND TIE ST Louis REPTBLIC.
Paris. March S~.-,Copyright. 1s2)-In
spite of the proverb that says that no man
IL necessary. the Republic is going through
a period when the Premier seems necessary.
both to the Republicans. whom he repre-
aents on the sensible and governmental side.
and to those other Republicans. who. not
daring TO object TO the Republican regime
itself. declare with ~inpudence that they
will fight only the Ministry. that Is to say,
men and rot ideas.
At the very moment when he fell a victim
OF accident the Premier was returning from
4 banquet given by the suburban press.
where he had called attention TO the by
pocrisy OF the enemies of the Republic who
declare themselves to be Republicans. Be
sides. the last weeks OF the session require
the presence OF the presiding officer.
Budget Farce About Ended.
The farce Of the budget Is nearing its end.
There remain at the Paiais Bourbon hard
~ any Deputies. save those who have some
appropriation to propose. The others have
gone home TO fix UP their fences. leaving in
the hands OF the exploiters of the appro-
priations their proxies. 50 that the benches
appear empty and the ballots appear COM
plete.
1t is to put an end to this scandal that a
rather Lively incident took place on midlent
Thursday. a Deputy wishing to compel his
colleagues to vote personally, 50 far as the
budget was concerned.
In q week from now. however, the budget
will be finished, and the Senate will ex-
mime It with its usual quickness. While the
Chamber will di.cuss the bill against cleo
toral abuses.
The questions is above all. how to punish
electoral corruption and to make the
chances of rich and poor candidates equal
by reducing the cost of electoral announce
ments.
Elections next Month.
Nevertheless. the hope had been enter
tanned Of beginning the elections on April
~. /: will be as much as l. possible If they
can he held by April q The voting Will.
therefore. be postponed TIL May IL. and
there will remain three weeks between the
end of the electoral campairn and the open
ing OF the new Chamber, whose mandate
will begin on June j.
These thee weeks will be flied by a
most important event. The President of tire
Republic received on Wednesday last al
autograph letter from the Emperor of Rus
sia. inviting him 10 go 10 St. Petersburg 10
return the visit made by the Car Mt COM
peigrc. This invitation. which thus PIE
cedes the elections. is not OF a nature TO ia
jure the Go. ernmeDt candidates. 1t is. as
II were. the crowning Of the Waldsck-
Rousseau Ministry. and an emphatic reply
TO those who accuse IL o. having weakened
this country,
This. however. does not mean that the
Cabinet should not ou;lsst the elections.
But. in any case. those who wish TO keep
". Waldeck-Rousseau at the head of af-
fairs will have TO struggle very hard against
his own wishes. his tastes and even his nsed
Of rest.
French LsbOr Troubles
We had last Sunday a sort Of echo of the
Barcelona troubles. A meeting Of lsborers
without work gave rise TO unexpected die
turbances. in wnich thiTty-six guardians OF
the peace were more or less wounded; none
Of them. however, seriously. for they were
able to continue their duties. The trouble
ended the following day In a plentiful d!stri-
button OF months in prison TO the aggressors.
The land of France, even on the eve of the
elections. is not favorabi. 20 rioters.
And. II enc wishes TO prove this to mis-
own satisfaction. he has only to follow the