The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-26
LOUBET SIGNS DECREE
MORE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS TO BE
CLOSED BY FORCE.
FRENCH ARE MUCH EXCITED.
CATHOLIC COUNTY OF BREsT AL
MOST IN REVOLT.

ForcibIc Execution of Orders of Pre-
mier to BE Resisted with Arms.
schools Converted Into Fortresses
and the Sisters Determined Not to
Yie1d-Newspaper Men, Who Made
Trip of Investigation in AutOnO-
bile, Set Upon by Peasants and One
of Them Badly Beaten-Crowd
Would Not Hear Their Explnnn-
tiOns.
Paris, July 25.-A cabinet council at
the Elysee Palace to-day examined the
questions brought up by the applica-
ton of the law of associations Presi-
dent Loubet signed a decree submitted
by the premier NJ. Combes ordering
the forcible closure of &c congrega-
ZIONIST schools i'll Paris and in the de-
partment of the Seine which have re-
fused to dispense voluntarily. DEGREES
closing forcibly similar schools in 9TH
er departments will be signed as soon
as the projects reports are received.
A serious situation is prevailing in
the Catholic country around Brest on
dCCOuHI Ol InG CTOSlHE VI InC
thorized schools. The country side has
taken up arms and is determined to
resist any attempt at the forcible ex-
ecution of the orders of the premier.
An incident yesterday evening at St.
Meen, Is miles from Brest, shows the
spirit of the peasantry. Two newspa-
per men of BreSt drove there in an
automobile to investigate the situa-
ton at the sisters school. Immediately
after they had entered the commune
a boy sounded bugle and crowds of
peasants swarmed from the fields,
armed with pitchforks and iron bound
sticks, shouting Long live the sis
ters," Long live liberty"
Newspaper Men Attacked.
One of the reporters was dragged
from the automobile and fanatics
beat him with their pitchforks and
sticks. The newspaper man explained
in the Breton dialect that he had only
come in search of information, but the
crowd refused to listen to him and
the reporter had to keep them at bay
with his revolver. He succeeded in re-
gaining the automobile and drove off
at full speed. followed by shower of
stones.
A school at Ploudaniel. in the same
neighborhood has been converted into
a fortress, barbados have been erect
ed and the inhabitants have formed a
Gordon about the surrounding area
The lady superior said:
"You see our barricades. They must
shoot us before we yield. There will
be bloodshed if anyone attempts to
enter"
Placards have been posted in the
townships urging resistance to the po-
lice.
Count Albert deMun, the Clerical
leader in the Chamber of Deputies, is
stumping the country, denouncing the
action of the government and urging
resistance.
Women Appeal to Nine. Loubet.
A strange scene reminiscent of
stormier and sadder days in France
occurred to-day at the Elysee Palace
A large delegation of women, including
the wives of government members of
the Chamber of Deputies, assembled
at the palace to endeavor personally to
implore Nine. Loubet to appeal
to her husband, the President, to stop
the school prosecutions.
Nine. Loubet sent out word to them
by Gen. Dubois, head of the Presi-
dents military household, that 1t was
impossible for her to receive a depu-
tdtlon upon SUBJECT winch was Solely
within the scope of the executive.
The wife of Deputy Reille made
violent protest.
Tell Madame Loubet," she said
that the blood of women will flow If
measures are not taken to stop this i'll
treatment of the sisters. We will ad-
dress letter to the wife of the Pres
ident in which we will declare war up
on the opperssors. The Christian wo-
men of France have decided not to
suffer in silence