The Washington herald., 1907-06-23

ceased to be a unique popular uprising. II
has become simply moblike resistance
against constituted authority. such as the
world has seen hundreds Of times before,
a local insUrrecti0n which is doomed to
certain failure
So long as it attempted 10 paralyze the
government by the passive suppression Of
all its local functions It was political
spectacle, which challenged attention by
3 its very novelty When the mutiny of
troops was added the situation became
Ominous for the whole nation
This feature. so far as is known. has now
disappeared. and there remains but to
chronicle the doings Of the mobs in the
disaffected territory These are serious
enough, but are by no means Of great i'm
portaEce.
Fear Sunday Demonstration.
Nevertheless the government is anxious
" awaiting developments tomorrow. as
nearly all places in the affected district
have made preparations for Sunday dem
onstrstions. Tt is conceded that the mill
tary has the situation well in hand. and
Incorporate demonstrations can lead only
to useless clashes and bI0odshed.
Realizing the need Of conciliatory ac-
ton, Premier Clamenceau tonight after
a conference with President Fallieres and
deDutati0n # senators and deputies
representing the Midi district, announced
that provided order prevailed tomorrow
all the gentlemen under arrest i'm con-
necion with the wine growers revolt
viii be released ON Monday
The possibility of further clashes is
shown by the work of the lawlcss but in
effective mObs to-day Montpelier seems
70 DE the storm center. One Of the most
serious riots Of the present disorders oc-
CURED there early to-day. Following a
night Of wild excitement. the strikers
formed I'm line and uaraded through the
streets. Finally. the mob. many of them
drunk with wine. attacked the police sta
ton and hurled c0bblestonas through the
windows and doors The dragons re-
sponded % "a riot call and charged the
mob in the public square. Several rioters
fired at the soldiers. who drew their sa-
bers and charged the gang. finally clear
ing the streets after scores had been
wounded and forty arrests made
Railroad Tracks Damaged.
This morning the l3d Regiment at
tempted TO leave Montpelier for Beziers.
where trouble was brewing. The wine
growers. however. blocked the railroad
tracks with scores OF pLows and carts.
The soldiers then sought to leave by a
roundabout course. but scouts apprised
the mob of their intention. and the rail-
road tracks were blown Up.
Reports from Agde say that there has
been considerable minor rioting in that
vicinity and some destruction Of prop
erty.
Beziers reports that a number Of rail-
road bridges have been blown up north
of the city, and that Narbonne is cut of
as q result OF the severiug of telegraph
lines.
PeGpiEnan was also the scene of con-
siderable disorder The Offices of the
prefecture Of police was again fired. but
the flames were eXtinguisIed without
great damage
A dispatch from Montpelier says:
Business is going on as usual There are
gay wedding parties. but other citizens
are sober and outwardIv tranquil, but
apparently somewhat appreheusive Of they
know not what.
That the Tiot.ng of last night will be
repeated tonight the people expect, and
they anticipate possible demonstrations
On Sunday when the villagers come on. /
1t is reported here that re-enforcements, /
principally cuirassiers, viii arrive to- /
night
The district I'm revolt comprises about F
10,oop square miles, with a population of
about 10000. There are already enough .
troops on the ground to suppress any
uprising. but many thousands more from
Gi parts Of France. ere being concen- /
trated there by every means Of transpor- /
tatiOn.
It is the purpose of the government TO /
OVerawe the pOpulace rather than sUbdue |
them by the active use Of force They /
are wise i'm this. for public sentiment IN +
the country would not tolerate uunccee-
sary violence against a misguided people !
whose suferings are genuine and whose 4
desperation has won widespread sym /
pathy They are refraning from vio- /
lence SO long as tnCi- leaders remained to /
them. Il was. perhaps a tactical mis- /
take Of the government 70 arrest these
leaders who really exercised a restrain /
ing influence before q sufficient force /
was on the ground to repress disorder /!
Only LayvIess NIobs Left.
Il was chance for couciliatory meas /
Ores until the authorities had the situa- I
ton well in hand. but they did not realize /
the grim temper OF the population. and
much OF the hloodshed Of the last two /
davs might have been averted. Now they
J. re TO deal with lawlesz mo5S. Only one /
course is possible. and the result is a fore /
gone conclusion. Some further violence /
IS not only possible. but probable. owing
to the wide extent Of the territory affect /
ed. Two or three DAYS. however. ought 10 /
see the end Of the physical disturbance.
and then there viii remain the economic
and political problem.
The city of Narboune is still a danger !
point because the destruction Of the rail !
way delays re-enforcements Of the troops.
All the wires have been cut. and no news /
is available at the present writing There
is q population OF 21000 which has been
swelied from the surrounding country.
london. June "a dispatch from Mar /
b0nne 20 Llovds Weekly News saws.
"Na-boanc is st.ll I'm a state IF siege. The /
people are making pugrimages to what is /
termed the site of Thursdays massacre /
The places where the victims were slain I
are marked with stones covered with flow
ers. bearing Inscriptions describing Prime /
Minister C1euc-ceau and Gen. PicQu9rt /
as assassins The agl,ators have estab- 4
lished a provisional municipal govern /
ment'