Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-22
THE ELECTIONS In FRANCE.

we may turn to the journals to under
stand how the result OF the elections is
appreciated.
NJ. Judet In L'Eclaire, the morning after
the election, writes: Let us not imagine
that perpetual stagnation Is program.
il Is time to act. How act? Lumartine
has written, 1t is necessary to understand
the people even when they say nothing.
More the reason. therefore, when they
commence to speak.
NJ Judet thinks that the vote of the
people signifies their discomfort b-.n
with the radical republicans and social
lists.
NJ Mayer. In lie Gaulois. writes: The
bloc me- de many concessions to be elected.
They passed over the danger. and as All
Italian provost says. When the peril is
passed we laugh at the saint
NJ. Henry Berenger in L'Action: Tie
actual government, Is it Qualined after
the peaceful understanding to organise a
reform movement. II We are TO Judge
by the speeches OF NJ. BRAND at Neuoors
Perisuense and Saint Chamond ne Is
surely today Of all the parliamentary
elected the most worthy to preside over
government and to direct . majority
which may organize the social republic
and maintain the laic republic
La Petite Republiaue: The elector-
the chief preoccupation OF the new
chamber. 1t is important TO create
an organism in which will circulate large
currents OF ideas and opinions which Will
rest upon electoral results and programs
rather than persons. But Ii VIII result IN
chaos. indifference and finally impotence
IL the government does not take the direc-
ton of the maneuver. We are assured
for our part that NJ. Aristide BRAND VIII
not shun the task and that he Will hold
the helm with a sure and prudent hand.
La Republiuue Franchise: I'VE know
that the new chamber, In spite OF
the interested arithmetic or committees
will be animated by new spirit; new
spirit which is after all an oio spirit
renewed 1t will return soon to the re-
publican tradition. to the formula forgot
ten nv the bloc; neither reaction nor revo-
luton Such Is the will OF the country
The union of republicans Will be accom-
plished between the two extremes IN pac'-
fication."
LIE Soleil: There is nothing changed IN
France There Is only a ballot more
Neither programs nor ma1orities VIII Dc
modified: only few new figures VIII ap-
pear i'm the Hobbies and the tribune. The
deputies who have disappeared were
neither good nor bad; they will return
more mischievous and more ugly ana the
session will continue. praised by some.
and blamed by others"
4 X
Chief among the results of the present
election is the exceptional success Of NJ
BRAND. the president OF
| Success of the council OF Saint
Etienne, who was
oIlaAu. elected by 5000
majority over the revolutionary social.s
who opposed him. 1t is undoubtedly the
result of the unified socialist aggression
! on the occasion OF NJ. BRANDS speech at
Saint Chamond Besides II may b. in
| terpreted as evidence OF returning sense
| on the part of the working classes. who
| have finally concluded that reform prom
| Uses more to them than the vain revo-
| lutionary acts of their socfalistic leaders
The other members Of the cabinet have
| been reelected, but with dimculty.
In Paris the conservative nationalists
| NM Maurice Barres, Denys-Cochin. Bin
der, Millevoye and Lerolle have been
reelected.
| On the other hand the election OF the
socialist unified NJ Alemane is contested.
while NJ. Francis de Presseuse. the soul
| Of revolutionary socialism. has been de-
feated by a radical at Lyon.
| Briefly resumed the electoral corps has
affirmed its entire confidence In the re-
| publican policy marked by a tendency To
moderatisrn. Besides, there is a session
which seems definite between independent
socialists and the unified, which means
that their lines are broken and that they
are forces less to be considered than
formerly.
We have had occasion heretofore to re-
mark upon the encouragement OF certain
distinguished members OF parliament who
have thrown down their portfolios and re
tired from the political arena in disgust
NJ Roland de Mares has taken up the
subject in the Independence Beige ana
asks: us 1t true that the right OF sur
frage as we understand IL In occidental
countries, that is. extended to the masses.
has lowered the standard or parliament
airy circles and that more and more the
best men separate themselves from poll
tics. because democracy favors the easy
~, ,y,l, of al
The question he tells Us is often dis
cussed and the incidents which one re-
marks I'm an electoral campaign invite the
attention to a situation which might be-
come dangerous. The writer confesses
that rnediocrity is on the Increase, but
he does not think ii due to the democracy
that disdains the elite. Formerly politics
attracted all men Of the elite because
politics only permitted strong personali-
ties to make themselves known. Outside
of politics there was only literature and
art which could offer a field In which 10
realize great things. In politics. above all.
men acquired personal influence and the
power to assure the triumph Of generous
ideas. The development of instruction
the vast transformation Of the modern
world by the progress Of science. industry
and of commerce, internationalism finally
has facilitated the contact or all sciences
which have in turn ENLARGED the field ~
human activity. All that has created for
elites new means Of action. as powerful
as politics and affordng perhaps more
personal satisfaction. to saw nothing OF
personal independence and oftentimes
self-respect Renown and g renown which
may be considered more enduring may
now be acquired by scientific men. en-
gineers and industrials: fortunes are
amassed by those who In certain domains
may ameliorate the conditions Of human
labor. Can we be astonished then that
men of superior intelligence turn awav
from politics and that the ambitious seek
other satisfactions than those obtained in
parliamentary battle?
1t is because q more active and varied
field is open to the elite Of today that
politics Is more and
Men of Small more invaded by men Of
AL;,;.- medium ability and often
noAiA'y' by manifest mediocrity.
For these il is undoubted the elector
being of the same caliber, has predilec-
ton. There is a remedy, the education OF
the masses in order to raise the standard
The grand and perpetual conflict for
principles will be fought outside of par.
lament and among the people themselves.
who have become leaders and are no
longer led. Even now I'm the debut o.
the twentieth century ii is an error to
think that il is political struggles that
premise and hasten the evolution of ideas
or that it is parliamentary action that
directs the new ways IN which all IA
tons, the oriental. as We'll AZ the oc-
cidental, are moving. Thu. e>oiu'ion ia
being rapidly and surely efrscred BY the
DEVELOPMENT and education AZ fine neoDIs