The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-26
Government Weakened by Bitter
Struggle Between Repub-
lican Factions.
L0UBET PLEADS FOR HARMONY.
Tumulruous Scenes Which Marked
the Exclusion of the Orders in
1880 Are Being Rein
acted France.
BY /. CoRNELY.

HERALD THE ST. LOUIS REPTBLlc
Paris. April 2~5-CCopyright. lsS)-M. Lou
I bet has been all the week zigzagging about
Algeria. amid general enthusiasm. which
he has justified. for that matter. by his
tireiess good humor and by speeches full Of
good feeling and common sense. In which
he recommends. with insistence and und-
most varied forms. harmony and peace.
These counsels. which he gives every
where. have even had an echo in France.
| where moderate Republican papers h=-s
profted by them TO declare that evidently
NJ. Loubet was with them at heart. AMI was
opposed tn che majority party which they
call the Block" and which. they charge. IS
dominated by the Socialists: to which the
Radicals have replied that this is twisting
the meaning Of NJ. Loubet. who. for that
matter. is much too prudent 10 depart from
his constitutional role and c~ritic:se his min
istry.
This is only the beginning. but it IS evil
dent that. sooner or later. the President OF
the Republic itself will be impaired by the
struggle which is going on between the two
Republican factions. moderate and Radical
"a struggle which the incidents attending
the application Of tie laws against the con-
GregatIons are of a kind TO render still
mere bitter.
In many places peoples feelings are ex-
cited. and the tumultuous scenes which
marked the exclusion Of the monks in 1850
are being re-enacted. They have had their
counter stroke in the departmental assem-
blies. which are called conseils generaux.
and which are now gathered for their Eas-
ter sittings. In a certain number of these
assemblies the majority is reactionary. and
they have taken the occasion 10 excite OPP
r,riVs,, - she Hrafar-S and In che nest
especially a crowd gathered TO add TO the
tumult inside. so that it was necessary to
order out the cavalry.
In other general councils the Radicals
have a majority. This is the case IN the
larger number. and in them they awaited
themselves OF the opportunity to pass mo-
tions congratulating the Government on the
frmness with which il is applying the laws
on the congregations
CoMBES ENUMERATED.
The most interesting incidents took place
in Dauphiney at the foothills Of the Alp
apropos OF a famous congregation. known
under the name Of Chartreux. which. in the
heart Of the mountains and forests. make
from alcohol and herbs a liquor OF univer-
sal reputation. called chartreuSe. These
monks eat enormously. but do an amount
OF good. too. in the country Of which they
are in a way the feudal lords. The charities
which they bestow in the districts are esti-
mated at no less than 10000 yearly. II
may he imagined that. under these condi-
tions. they have a powerful party TO defend
Them. and II may Also be imagined that
they would be violently attacked by the
Republicans. 10 combat whom they furnish
and substitute newspapers.
The phases OF the struggle serve TO keep
up public curiosity. even in Paris. for quite
a romance was invented on their account
q 49,
counsel of ministers and against the Re-
publican majority. Some said. as you al
ready know. that VI. Edgar Combes. son
and chief clerk in the department Of his
father, the Ministry of the Interior. had
asked of the ChartreuX 10000 by an inter
mediary. NJ Nervoort. and had promised
them authorization in return.
. Others said that an envoy went to see
the Chartreux TO ask them. in the name OF
a group of the majority. not $4,000. but
$4,000. to replenish the election fund OF this
group.
The matter went far enough for the law
10 take a hand. An Investigation was begun
and witnesses were heard. but. as the facts
are becoming clearer. the memories of
those who told Of them are becoming dim.
so that OF the whole affair there only re-
main calumnies and spiteful rumors.
TO- This does not make a very fine chapter In
the history OF the French press. the more
~ d. hf NeAShueiS u the IudIlISuN Ia
theirs. disowned by them, are now saying
that the Chartreux are trying. by abandon
ing them. to save their compromised in
terest.
We will next week have the honor and
pleasure OF the visit OF the King of Eng
land. Edward VII. Some fools who belong
TO the League of Patriots have already
recommended Parisians to make a dis
turbance over the royal guest. This impro-
priety. be il understood. has not been
without its use. for it has excited a gen
eral condemnation. which IL shared by NJ.
DeRoulede himseu from the depths of his
exile. for he has declared that he disasso-
ciates himself from these gfvers of stupid
advice.