The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-29
The French Crisis.

The French Crisis.
Affairs in France arc in very critical
state. beginning with the long-drawn-
out agitation for the dlsestablishmcnt
Of tile church, matters have gone from
bad to worse, and now an inclpient revo-
luton IS in progress. The present re-
public has always had a nulnberi Of enc
mics among the loyalists land legtti-
mists, and has made for itself a. number
of bitter foes among the clericnls. In
addition to these sources, every govern
lnent In France can coune epon oposl-
ton from those anarchists ~ socialists
who are always against the government.
On the other hand, the revelations which
showed the >eXtent to which the Free
masons controlled tho army and the
bitterness Of tho fight that was being
waged on all orthodox Christians by q
governmental clique of unbellevers nat
urally raised up bitter opponents to the
existing government.
From such diverse elements, the royal
lists, the legitlmists, the clolicals, the
socialists and the anarchists, 4 party has
been organized called the bloc" and
for tkrcc years or more this party has
harried the government. The first marked
weakness the government showed was IN
:ts method of taking inventories of
church property. It will be remembered
that when the church was finally sop
rnt o,l Am eyo1,orn,,,on+ md artoolr ~ +oI.o
an inventory OF all the property the
church owned, In order that it might be
determined upon what basis this prop
crty should be taxed or paid for There
is no evidence TINT the government took
these inventories in an offensive or IN
necessarily harsh manner but the mere
fact that tho soldiers of hostile gov
eminent should seek to handle and Dry
into the sacred precincts and possessions
OF Il church was sufficient to arouse the
instances the government had actually to
give up any attempt to take zip these In
vcntories. This course of action, no mat
ter what it's motives may have boon, was
construed by the opponents of govern
ment as n sign Of great weakness, and
taking this as AN intimation Of what
might be expected, tho enemies Of GOV
ernmcnt went on to greater excuses.
Recently President Loubers term OF
office expired. In his place was elected
Fnlliores, who represents all of these
warning but for the instant united, fac
tons. Shortly after Fallieres's election,
the terrible mine disaster ut Courriercs
took place. Tho magnitude Of this catas-
trophe aroused tho workingrnen, ana
using some real grievances us n basis,
tho wGrlsinsmen made n number of do
mands which the mino owners refused 10
allow. Tho leaders OF organized labor,
It, In addition to tho other forces on
posed TO tile government was addcl that
OF organized labor throughout the whole
OF France. Already number Of serious
conflicts llnve taken place between the
troops and lnbor!ng men. In one instance
over hundred soldiers were wounded,
and MS vet the government has refused
to allow tho troops any method for the
protection OF themselves. This temporiz-
Ing policy added to the force of the
opponents of the government. Ill
But III tho last few days the govern
mcut has taken n much more vigorous
attitude towards the strikers, who are
really formented by enemies Of tho gov
eminent, according to NJ. Clemenceau.
Upon this view the agitation Is cphemeral
and is not significant OF important re-
evolutionary tendencies.
Despite tho reported discovery Of 4
roya!ist plot IN which the Ronapartlsts
as well as the Bourhons were Implicated
| the New Yorc Herald correspondent
| whom We quoted IN yesterdays paper
| Is unable 40 find any one who will state
| his belief that real revolution Is nevi
| table. Thirty years ago the saying was
| common that France would be all socio
list or all enspi" IN twenty years. ans
| yet the third republic has wlthstood al
sorts of attacks from within and without
and at present the ominous murmnring!
have not yet made tho public belle,.
| that the threatened demonstration o,
May day will have any serious effect OF
| the government
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The Memphis Plan.