The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-05
BOLD FOR A
 SFFSS</f TIME
 $s- Frencb ,lty Slaps Min. 4 <S:er's Face. THEN HE RUNS AND HIDES Free Fight on the Floor
 Follows. Nationaiists' Actions Strengthens the Hands of the Cabinet sad the Governments Majority is
 Increased to Over 100.
THEN HE RUNS AND HIDES

Paris, Nov. 4.-Today's sitting of the Chamber of Deputies was one of the stormiest and most heated in recent years the excitement eliminating when Gabriel Syveton, a prominent Ma tionaust Deputy. stepped up to Gen. eral Andre. the Minister of War, and slapped his face.
 After accomplishing this feat. syve- ton retreated rapidly to the uppermost row of seats, taking refuge behind members of the opposition. A tre- mendous tumult ensued. deputies of all parties crowding the floor of the House. where a free fight was soon in pro- gress. Speaker Brisson left the chair, thus suspending the sitting.
 Eventually order was restored and the sitting being resumed Syveton's temporary exclusion was voted. The offender, however, refused to quit his seat and 1t became necessary again to suspend the sitting while he was re- moved by a military guard. Combes's Majority Increased. It is probable that this misconduct. which occurred just before the final division, materially contributed to strengthen the position of the Cabinet. which at one time seemed very criti- cal; for after securing a majority of only two on a preliminary question, the Government finally carried vote of confidence by over 100 majority.
 At midnight the officials of the Cham Der of Deputies assembled in Speaker Prisons private Cabinet were still dis cusslng the course of action to be taken regarding Deputy Syveton. Deputies who witnessed the assault upon the War Minister say that Gen eral Andre was wholly taken by sur uk~ lNx1h xytn lence that he would have fallen had not Premier Combes stepped forward and supported him.
 General Andres face was much swollen and was cut by ring worn by Syveton Speaker Brisson has notified the judicial authority that an assault ] had ,.heens committed within the pre- cincts of the Chamber.
 Opening of Debate. The debate. which was sequence to that of last Friday. was opened by the nationalist deputy Guyot de Vile neuve who pointed out that the Min ister of War had declared that If the | existence of a system of spying on the private lives of officers was proven, he could not repudiate responsibility. De l VIlleneuve claimed that the facts were | now established and that therefore 1t was impossible that General Andre | should remain in oflce; and he urged | the Chamber to remember that Premier | Combes had tolerated and approved the | system of espionage employed by the | War Office.
 General Andre, whose reply was con- l tinually interrupted by the noise of the | opposition and ministerial cheers, said | Waldeck- Rousseau, when he appointed him Minister of War four years ago. l confided to him the existence of an un-
 derground movement which had for its
 purpose the setting of the Army in
 opposition to the civil power and re- l ferred to incidents attending M. Lou
 bets return from Versailles after his
 election to the Presidency and Felix
 Faure's funeral In support of this as- | sertion.
 | When lie set to work to combat the
 influence of political agitators, he met with great resistance and It was im- | possible to obtain information from of- | fical sources, news of acts openly hos
 tile to the republic only reaching hsm | through indirect channels. Removed the Tri-COIOr. A spirit of intolerance prevailed in
 one colonel actually replaced the tri-
 color by a flag bearing royalist insig- | mia.
 Here General Jacquey exclaimed.
 You are lying" but amidst intense ex-
 citement he withdrew the charge under
 threat of the speakers consure.
 General Andre maintained the neces-
 sity for obtaining information. though
 he condemned the system which had
 been discovered. and finally declared he would not desert his post but would
 remain and defend the republic. After several prominent deputies.
 among whom were Jaures. Leygues and Robot. had spoken in the Senate, Pre-
 mier Combes intervened, maintaining
 the necessity of keeping the army re-
 publican and declaring that he should
 not accept the previous question but
 demanded a vote of confidence. The
 previous question was then put and l rejected. 279 to PIT.
 Next the chamber by the vote of 2s6
 to 276 gave priority to the resolution
 of confidence drawn by ministerial
 supporters. interrupted by Syveton' g
 assault upon General Andre.
 When order had been restored the chamber passed vote of confidence. 3A3 to 236.