The Washington herald., 1907-07-14

/ france ceieDfdleS To-Day NtI SiSet
national holiday, which IS not the birth
day Of the present or any of the former
republics Of France, but the anniversary
Of the stoEming Of the Bastille at Paris
on July ii, 1883. Il Is hardly necessary
70 recall here the fact that the Bastile,
/ built in 1869 by sCharles V. for the de-
tense Of the metropolis against the Eng
lish, ultimately developed into state
prison, wherein people who had offended
either the sovereign or his favorites were
thrown without any legal process. It
represented in the eyes Of the people the
most glazing defiance Of their civic
rights, as well as the very worst form
/ Of monarchical and administrative tyr
amy, and the consequence was that as
soon as ever the masses became con-
scious OF their power they stormed its
walls, and thus inaugurated the great
Revolution which so entirely changed
the face Of continental Europe.
Thirty-seven years have now elapsed
since the overthrow OF the Second Empire
/ in France, and the establishment in its
place Of the present republican form OF
government. The latter may therefore
be said TO have outgrown its infancy, TO
have attained its majority. as well as the
age of maturity and discretion. While
/ exception may be taken TO many Of its
methods, some Of which do not commend
themselves to American notions Of the
independence Of the citizen and liberty
Of conscience, It must be manifest to all
that it has come 10 stay. 1t has fire.
quently been confronted by dangers
which threatened to ImperiI its existence;
but, apparently, it bears a charmed life,
and has emerged from each Of these
trials even stronger than before. Il be-
came involved In war with the Roman
Catholic Church, compared to which the
Kulturkampf Of Prince Bismarck was
mere chiId's play. The Iron Chancellor
was ultimately forced to yield TO the
Vatican; but the French government has
not retreated one iota from the aggres-
sive position which it assumed toward
the papacy. Even its most extreme,
and, 70 American eyes, most arbitrary
measures. have received the sanction Of
the nation as expressed by an over
whelming majority Of the national legis-
lature, and have failed to bring about
that popular uprising in behalf Of the
clergy and Of the religious orders which
was SO generally predicted both at home
and abroad al the outset Of the conflict.
: Having thus weathered shipwreck in
connection with its war with he church,
the republic seemed, a few weeks ago,
bound 10 come 20 grief through the dis
turbauces in the cheap wine growing
districts Of the south. The crisis appeared
fraught with greater danger than any
in the annals Of the Third Republic,
The movement against the government
was Of vast proportions. Those taking
part in II were honest fox rendered des-
perate by want, victims Of an economic
/ embrogiiO brought about by a combina-
ton Of mtOward circumstances Several
regiments recruited from the malcon-
tent districts. manifested signs Of disaf-
lection, and even Of mutiny, when called
upon 10 face their families and theil
relatives and TO level their rifles against
them. But fortunately for the repub
lie. the movement lacked able leaders
was deficient in men capable of turning
to account the power in their hands
against the present regime. and not only
did the incipient Instruction subsid,
when confronted by the determined atu
tude Of the government, but the lattel
has won new laurels and increased publi'
confidence by the vigor and energy
b which It displayed In the face Of whaf
might have developed into something akiT
to anarchy. with vast loss of life and
y property.
OF course. the government has beer
singularly fortunate in the absence o.
any initiative or activity on the part O
B the chiefs Of the monarchical parties
who, whenever the republic Is confronted
Z by crises such as those in connection
with the church, and the recent wine
growers disturbances in the South o
France, appear particularly careful t
4 abstain from taking any undue advan
tage thereof, cOntenting themselves wit
' the firing OF blank shot, In the shape o
verbose manifestOes. There is no know
/ ing what nigh have happened II the Duk
of ORGANS, or Louis, or Victor Bona
parte had appeared IN the South o
France when the popular troubles wer
> most acute, and had placed themselve
at the head OF the disaffected regiments
$ and Of the near quarter Of a million man
4 ifestants" During that time however
the Duke Of Orleans was at his countr!
: place in England Prince Victor Napoleon
ID with his actress morganatic wife and chill
dren at Brussels. and Prince Louis Bona
n parte, the Russian cavalry general. witt
his mother at her place near Turin. No
, one of them stirred. and. thanks TO this
q the disturbances lost much Of their i'm
\ poTtance.
T II is not altogether fair to accuse tn
: pretenders of a lack Of courage, and of
! selfish disinclnation TO risk their libert,
3 and their money IN an effort TO over
= throw the republic, and to restore Tn
throne in. France for their own occu
!. pancy. In the first place, a prince, unles
> rendered desperate by financial straits
like Napoleon in 1851 is apt to hesitat
/, before embarking upon an adventur
| which may involve the shedding Of tn
! blood Of thousands upon thousands of hi
I cOuntrymen. Napoleon III may be sail
TO have waded TO his throne through
mire of gore and throughout his reign 0
eighteen years is reported to have beel
haunted by the specters of ell those VIII
met their death In the dreaded scenes o
! carnage that were necessary in Paris Z
secure for him his crown as emperor
J, There are many princes, even Of his owl
family, who would be reluctant to re
= sort to such means to obtain the scepte
= of France. and their attitude in this re
I spect is a subject for commentator rath
r er than for Teproach. Then, too, they ar
( perfectly aware that their principal fol
Y lowers. that is 10 say, the men Of wealth
!, influence, and position, are strongly op
. posed TO the idea of facing exile and con
fscation of their property as a penalt
: for participating in any mOnarchical cou
: against the republic, Certainly they woul
n prefer a monarchy to the present regime
q But they are not prepared to make ia
n necessary sacrifices for the sake of Ia
: change, and are one and all strenuous /
: assuring their respective pretenders tina
Z some day or other the people will. O
oo,o-l d.