Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-02-13
ROCKS AHEAD FOR THE FRENCH
MINISTRY.
New York SUM-

The arrival In Paris of the persons
implicated In the Humbert frauds may
prove to be anything but desirable
New Years gift for the French Min
| istry The belief Is current that at
! least one of NJ. Combes's principal
supporters will be discredited by tho
! judicial investigation which is now i'm
minent. II will be remembered that
the Panama affair caused the downfall
/ OF a Cabinet, and drove several con-
spicuous politicians out of public life.
The possible outcome Of the new
scandal Is not, however the only thing
which the present Premier and his col
leagues have to dread. A combination
of factions and interests is arrayed
against them, and a formidable leader
of the Opposition has been found IN
NJ Doumer. formerly Minister of FL
nance, subsequently Governor-General
Of Indo-China, and now chairman OF
the Budget Committee. II is NJ DOu-
mer whom VI. Jaures lately described
as a possible Caesar. a man far better
qualified than Boulanger to direct an
attack on the Republican regime.
Not only the opponents of the laws
against religious congregations, but the
colonial party, the beet-sugar party,
the cheap tobacco party and the free
alcohol party, are likely to combine
against NJ Waldeck- Rousseau's sue
cessor The Ministers have struck a
snag in their attempt TO enforce the
law against the congregations, because
the act itself provides that those re.
ligious associations which have re.
quested an authorization to remain In
France cannot be dealt with by the
Government, but only by the Chamber
Many Of the congregations regarded
with most distrust by the Radicals
have availed themselves of this flaw
In the machinery Of the statute. The
petitions for authorization number
nearly thousand OF course, the pc
titions can be laid all at once before
the Chamber. but. according to prece
dent, they must be discussed separate
~ at the option OF the Opposition. 1t
Is obvious that. under such conditions,
the discussion would be interminable;
The only way OF overcoming the diff
Guilty would be TO amend the existing
J law by giving the Executive power to
eXpel even those congregations which
, have applied for authorization. II IL
by no means certain that such an
; amendment could he carried: the pro.
, posal Of 1t would encounter violent re.
sistance on the part. not only of the
Reactionists. but of the Moderates, and
II might fail to get the votes of some
Deputies who reluctantly accepted thu
, bill in Its original form.
= Besides improving the machinery Of
! the law against religious congrega.
: tons, the Combes Cabinet has upon Its
| hands the task Of securing the ratif.
3 cation OF the recent convention con.
, Cluded between France and Siam. Tho
/ colonial party, which has considerable
strength both inside and outside OF
the Chamber OF Deputies. and will BIZ
headed by NJ. Doumer, denounces the
/. convention, because II surrenders the
port OF Chantabun, which gave France
sphere OF influence in Siam proper
, |, the convention should be repudiated
, by the Chamber OF Deputies, NJ. Del
casse, who, as Minister for Foreign AZ
fairs, Is responsible for II, would have
, to resign, and his resignation would
probably be followed by the collapse Of
3 the Cabinet. The friends of NJ. Del.
. casse believe that he has a good de
I fence on two grounds, first, that France
had no right to occupy Chantabun. and
J secondly, that NJ. Doumer himself
when he was Governor General OF In
! dio-China, agreed to the evacuation Of
the place. This defence would. doubt
less, prove effective but for the fact
, that the colonial party counts on tbs
, assistance, not only of the friends Of
the religious congregations. but also
/ upon several groups which have moi
! hitherto been counted among the per-
sistent opponents OF the Ministry.
These groups have taken offence al
/ certain features Of the fiscal program
} put forward by NJ. Rouvier, the Fl
nance Minister. France having assent.
r ed to the Brussels convention, NJ, Rou,
} vier could do no less than propose the
! abolition of the bounty on beet sugar
: The measure, however, is naturally
! obnoxious to the numerous Deputies
, who represent provinces n which the