The sun., 1908-08-16

III.
The republic was voted by q majority Of
one in monarchist assembly. Now let
us look at the principal features Of its or
ganic laws. The Constitution Of 1875 40
cepted direct universal suffrage for the
election Of the legislative body and Of
departmental and communal assemblies.
Every male French subject aged twenty-one
who enjoyed civil rights was admitted to
the electorate. Thenoeforth there was to
be no property qualification. no privilege.
no representation OF minorities. Later
the National Assembly pronounced for the
scrutin d'drrondissement. TO which 1t has
now reverted after a brief substitution Of
the scrutin de iiste. We scarcely need
point out the differences: By the former
system each arrondissement elects a MEM
Der OF the Chamber Of Deputies; by the
other all the members to which a depart
ment is entitled are chosen on a single list
or ticket.
We see. then. that the Third French Re-
public is founded upon universal suffrage
More than thirty years have now passed
since the Constitution of 1875 was voted.
yet government by the lower Glasses, which
it was said would control the suffrage. has
not even been organized. There Is not
far from it-a labor majority in the Chamber
Of Deputies. The bouEgeoisie continues to
obtain most Of the seats. posts and honors.
Moro than thirty years Of democratio au-
thority. though that authority has often
been irritated by blind provocation. have
not sufioed to accomplish the programme
which in 1874 1t was hoped or feared would
be realized at once. Thirty years Of pub
lie peace have brought to a close q century
which had begun in the midst of wars
Paris has lost the habit Of barricades and
gives in every day life an example Of tolera-
ton. Evolution is slower in the provinces.
where passions are quicker and contacts
rougher Yet the lamentable and gro
tesaue portrait which Taine drew in 1877
Of the peasant elector would not be true
to-day, as will be admitted by any man who
has shaken hands with the rural cultivators
who form the bedrock Of French democracy.
| 1t is true that the peasant voters do not
always choose the best men. But In what
Utopia, asks NJ. Hanotaux. have public
functions always been delegated to the
most worthy
Attention is also directed to the fact
that in the Constitution OF 1875 the National
Assembly consecrated the principle OF
national and governmental unity. Dur
ing the war with Germany Separatist mani
festations had taken place in the south;
the Commune had been a blind embryo
of federal organization. Between Paris
and the provinces a latent antagonism
existed which passions and polemlcs had
excited and exaggerated. The very fact
that the Assembly remained in Versailles,
thus elevating one capital over against
another was significant, Nevertheless the
reestablishment OF order had had a con-
soidating effect. The decentralization
campaign failed because 1t was suspected
Of separatism. The ultimately unanimous
acauiescence OF the Assembly and OF the
country in the eminently French and ira
ditional principle OF unity determined
one Of the salient characteristics OF the
Constitution Of 1875.
In the United States. when the framing g
Of the Constitution of 1857 was going on.
the same question had been raised; but there
minds turned spontaneously toward the
! contrary principle OF fedssxtion. In Amer
ica the difficulty had been to wrench from
the different States the necessary amount
| Of common sentiments to assure efficient
collective action. sWhatl- said Patrick
Henry. you begin your Constitution by
saying. We. the people Of the United States.
have decided. &c.' You should say, We,
the States. For there is no American
people. but only thirteen sovereign States
You usurp the sovereignty when you speak
in the name Of the people," In France,
on the other hand, as We have said. unity