The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-16
CABINET IS
 FORCED OUT COmbeS Ministry Decides
 to Resign. R0UvIER MAY BE PREMIER Separation of Church and State Will Continue. Retiring Prime Minister Upheld to the Last by the Parliament, Hut
 His Majorities Were
 Very Small.

Paris, Jan. i5-The Ministry of M. Combes. after emerging successfully from it's bitter midnight struggle in the Chamber of Deputies, has decided to abandon tho field while some portion of it's prestige still remains and has signified its intention of rcsigning.
 Official announcement of the resigna- tions has not been made, but M. Combes has definitely stated that inten- tion of himself and his colleagues and the termination of the ministry after a career of three years only awaits tho formal submission of letters of retire. ment.
 Friends of the ministry maintain that It's retirement is voluntary, as M. Combes has succeeded in resisting the effort to compel his fall. The opposi- tion. however. holds tho view that the small majorities for the ministry last night left M. Combes short of the necessary strength to carry out his policies.
 NJ. Combes called at the Elysee Pal ace today for the purpose of conferr- ing with President Loubet. but the lat ter was overwhelmed by the critical illness of his mother. who died at o'clock this afternoon.
 The Presidents affliction prevented his discussing the situation and com DliCdttSt tDG NiIit "ttru hiS will be submitted. It had been intend ed to hold a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. But President Loubets departure for Monteiimar to attend the funeral of his mother has deferred final action.
 COmbes iH CHrewOrn.
 Premier Combes received the vari- ous ministers during tho day. He looked careworn after ten hours of parliamentary battle, in which hc oc- cupied tho floor for three hours and was the centre of a continuous attack during the remaining hours. He spoke freely of the intention of his Cabinet to retire as a whole and outlined the details of its closing work, He regards the retirement as wholly voluntarily. as the votes last night. although show ing small majorities. gave enough mar gin to permit of carrying on the min- isterial proceedings. However. he con siders that his departure will facili- tate the realization of tho program in- stead of interrupting it, since his suc- cessor will he able to unite the discord- ant clements which have become hos tile to him.
 It Is conceded that NJ. Combes's vol untary retirement will permit him to exercise a powerful and probably de- cisive influence in the choice of his successor, similar to that which NJ. Waldeck- Rousseau exercised when vol untarily relnquishing power.
 ROuvIer the FavOrite.
 Who will form the next cabinet is not certain. The logic of the situation appears to point to M. Rouvier, and his name Is being mentioned.
 He is acceptable both to M. Combes and those who are rebelling against the Iatters authority However, if M Combes has the authority to name his own successor he may designate M BrissOn, who as president of the Cham Der of Deputies assisted in the con- struction of the program. The names of M. Millerand. POincare, Doumer and Clemenceau also are prominently men, tioned. However. the personal in- fluence the president usually exercises is obscured by death within the household. making the outcome of the reorganization of the ministry increas- ingly doubtful.
 The effect of the crisis upon the gov ernment's policies is not cosidered to be great. The new ministry will have the same majority as that supporting Premier Combes and so there can be no radical changes. This majority has repeatedly upheld M Combess pro- gram tending toward the separation of church and State. It is expected therefore. that the program of sepa- ration will be carried out although M. Combes's retirement probably will re- suit in q moderating tendency.
 Espionage of officers.
 The issue which proved most decls- i've in hastening the resignation of the ministers was tho popular Outcry against secret espionage on the lives of the army officers. The crisis will see the abandonment of tho last ves- tige of this system. The enactment of an income tax and other important matters will not be materially af- ected.
 Premier Combes was waited upon this evening by a number of the mem- bers of the chamber who urged that he reconsider his decision to resign, but he positively refused to do so.
 owing to the death of M. Loubet's mother the presentation Of the resig- nations of the ministers will probably be deferred until Wednesday morning.. President Loubet wifi begin Wednes- day afternoon consultations for the formation of a new cabinet. NJ. Rou- vIer appears to be practically decided on as the head of the ministry, but 1t Is understood that he asked NJ. Del casse and M. Berteaux to retain the foreign and war portfolios respec- lively.
 Until the decision of the cabinet is officially communicated to President Loubet who alone Is empowered to re- ceive 1t, there will be no Interruption of the parliamentary work.