New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-14
FRANCES GREAT DAY.
1t Finds the Republic Strong, but
Property Holders TimM.

France celebrates to-day her great national
holiday. which is not the birthday OF the present
or OF any Of the former republics Of France
but tho anniversary OF the stOrming OF thu
Bastille at Paris July Il, 1853. 1t IS hardly
necessary 10 recall here the fact that the
Bastille, built in 1869 by Charles for the de-
fence OF the metropolis against the English. ulti-
mately developed into state prison. wherein
people who had offended either the sovereign or
his favorites were thrown without any legal
process. Il represented in the eyes OF the peo-
PIE tho most glazing defiance Of their civic
rights Well as the worst form of monarchicai
and administrative tyranny and the consequence
was that soon ever the masses became
conscious Of their power they storned its walls
and thus started the great revolution which SO
entirely changed the face OF Continental Europe
Thirty-seven years have elapsed since the
overthrow Of the Second Empire i'm France and
the establishment in It's place OF the present re-
publican form of government. The latter MAJ
therefore be said 10 have outgrown its infancy
To have attained its majority. as we'll as the
age of maturity and discretion While excep-
ton may be taken 10 many of it's methods
some of which DO not commend themselves To
American notions OF the independence OF the
citizen and liberty OF conscience IL must he
manifest 10 all that IL has come To stay. IL has
Frequently been confronted by dangers which
threatened 70 imPeril its existence But aupar-
entity It bears charmed HE, and has emerged
from each Of these trials even stronger than
before IL became involved in a war with the
Roman Catholic Church compared u which
the KultUrkampf Of Prince Bismarck was mere
child s play. The Iron Chancellor was ulti-
Watclv forced 20 Weld to the Vatican But The
French government has not retreated ono iotd
from the aggressive position which il assumed
toward the PapJCy. Even its most extreme
and to Al lean eyes most arbitrary. meas
ures have received the sanction OF the nation,
as expressed by an overwhelming majority Of
the national legislature. and have failed tn
bring about that popular uprising in behalf of
the clergy and Of the religious orders which was
50 generally predicted both at home and abroad
at the outset of the conflict
Having thus weathered shipwrecI in connec-
uon with its war against the Church the re-
public seemed few weeks ago bound TO coma
Z" grief through the disturbances 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 move
mcnt against the government was OF vast pro-
portions Those taking part in il were honest
folk rendered desperate by want. victims of an
economic mbroglio brought about by a COrubI-
nation Of untoward circumstances. Several
regiments recruited from the maIcOntent dis
triCts manifested signs of dsafIectlon and even
Of mutiny. when called upon 10 face their fam
Ives ana thtlr relatives and t. level their rifles
against them. But fortunately for the replIb-
lie the movement lacked able leaders was de-
hcent in men capable Of turning 10 account the
power in their hands against the present regime
and not only did the iuCipient insurrection sub
side when confronted by the determined atti-
tude of the government. but the latter has won
new lauVels and increased public confidence by
the vgor and energy which II displayed in the
face OF what might have developed into some
thing akin 10 anarchy. with vast loss of life and