The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-08
FRENCH CABINET FALLS
 AT A DRAMATIC MOMENT
DEFEATED BY THE DEPUTIES ON QUESTION OF CHURCH
 DISORDERS

Reverse Comes Just When the Franco
 German Diplomatic Contest Over Mo-
 rocco Has Reached Decisive Stage
 May Exert an Important Adverse
 Influence on the AIgeciras Conference
 and on European Aifairs--Premier
 ROuvier and His Colleagues Resign
 Immediately.
 Paris, March 7.-The Rouvier minis try was defeated in the chamber of deputies tonight and immediately re- signed.
 The cabinet crisis comes at a most dramatic moment, when the French German contest has reached decisive stage, and may exert an important ad- verse influence on the Algeciras con- ference and on European affairs
 The defeat of the government came suddenly, on comparatively minor debate over the church disorders. The government succeeded in holding only 234 votes while the various elements in position-clerical3, socialists and na- tionalists-united, boiled 267 votes, thus placing the ministry in a minority of thirty three.
 Premier Rouvier, with all of his coll leagues, immediately proceeded to the foreign office, where a joint letter of resignation was prepared. Later M. Rouvier presented this letter to Presi- dent Fallieres who accepted the resig- nations. The president announced his intention of consulting the presidents of the senate and chamber of deputies tomorrow relative to the formatin of a new cabinet
 The debate in the chamber of deputies was upon the bloody riot yesterday | during the inventory of church in the village of Boeschepe, resulting in the | death of a manifestant. Various ora tors severely criticized the govern IT ents course, asserting that 1t threat ened to precipitate a religious warfare. Premier Rouvier responded:
 "The government has the duty to ap- ply the law It will apply it without weakness, but also with the prudence, tact and wisdom consistent with pub lie tranquility. ask the adoption of resolution approving these declara- tions of the government
 The resolution was thereupon put to vote and defeated by combination of opposing influences. The vote was more expressive of personal antagonism to the ministry than of opposition to church inventories.
 1 Having returned from presenting to President Fallieres the resignation of the ministry, M. Rouvier was surround ed in the Hobbies of the chamber of deputies by groups of members, who expressed their regret at his abandon ment of office. M. Rouvier displayed not the slightest emotion. Replying to one of his followers. he remarked: q regarded 1t as point of honor to fulfill the task had undertaken. The cham ber's vote has relieved me of a burden the weight of which had begun to make itself felt. I do not regret it."
 Responding to the declaration of a deputy that he might have carried opinion with him. M. Rouvier said. "I should have received $50 votes had declared for more vigorous action; but the sentiment of the chamber was against the cabinet remaining in office until the election, and the struggle would begin again tomorrow. It was better to finish immediately"
 The meeting of the members of the cabinet at the foreign office lasted half an hour. After exchanging views with reference to church inventories it was decided to suspend operations in that regard until new cabinet has been appointed. The decision resulted from disparity of the opinions expressed in the chamber of deputies relative to the method of carrying out the law provid- ing for the separation of church and state. Had the chamber voted mo- ton of confidence in the government
 Continued on Second Page)