The Washington herald., 1911-07-19
OVERTURNED
BY A FALSE COUNT OF VOTES

Probably the only case on record in the
history Of any nation of a government
being overturned by miscount Of votes
IN Parliament has been revealed with re-
gard to the fall Of the Monis ministry
Instead Of being in minority Of fourteen
the government, in fact, was In a ma,
Jority Of five. The crisis, 1t will be re.
membered, arose over an Interpolation re-
garding the attitude Of the government
as to the chief command of the army in
the event Of war. The official list showed
2Ss against the government and 224 In Its
favor. Premier Monis still was on sick
bed as the result of the accident which
deprived France of her talented minister
Of wars, M. Bertheaux. His colleagues,
taken unawares. promptly decided upon
resignation.
now read in Figaro that at the mo-
ment Of the fateful division there was
considerable confusion in regard to the
votes pro and con. A number of dep
uties since have freely announced that
their names had appeared on the wrong
side Of the division. The consequence
was an official rectification, with tho re-
suit that so far from being a defeat the
government had had a small majority.
This may be source Of great satisfac-
ton to the ex-premier and his colleagues
but Of course It is too late to remedy the
faux pas or to affect the fate of the
cabinet.
incidentally, ministers in France are
not well paid. All members Of the
French cabinet receive the same sal
ary, namely $1,000 francs a year, but
as they have to forfeit the allowance of
5000 francs. which they receive as SEN
ators or deputies, their net annual gain
through taking the portfolio is only A.
900 francs. 1t is true they are provided
with official residences. furnished, heat
ed. and lighted. at public expence. Their
tenure of Office. however is so uncer-
tain and precarious that they never can
venture to let out their own private
residences for any length Of time.
The fail of the Monis cabinet within
four months OF its accession to Office
Is a significant commentary on the pol
Icy of trimming" which also was that
Of his predecessor. NJ. BRAND. 1t is only
because the latter was Infinitely more
clever than and far more plausible than
NJ. Monis that he maintained himself
In power for more than two years. but
he as we'll as the latest victim Of the
tickle French disposition fell because he
relied too much on the support of his
natural opponents.
The intimate meaning Of the recent
cabinet crisis in France Is deeper than
the mere postponing of proportional
as is currently repre-
sented in the Paris press. The truth
s that NJ. Monis, nominally a Radical
Socialist and a former lieutenant OF NJ |
during the stormy period of the |
establishment of the Roman Catholic |
church, has not governed steadfastly ac- |
,ording to Radical traditions, II such a |
,aradox is permissible Instead of max |
ng the house (the chamber) his life and |
'eath allies. he did as did NJ. BRAND, |
ely upon the interests. He came into |
and Socialist coalition, backed |
~ his old chief, NJ. Combes. an uncom-
Democrat, and by NJ Juares, |
he most brilliant of European Socialists.
1t would have been surrnised that un-
Ter these circumstances he would have
onsulted his groups and served their
interests alone. Had he done 30, he
you'd have saved his country from one
+ those crises which undermine the
ublic confidence. For. be 1t we'll under
TODD, every one OF these crises In i'm
ulsive France Is a national danger, be-
ause any day a pretender may take ad-
antage of popular exasperatton ana i'm. |