Evening star., 1912-07-21
PROPORTIONAL REFORM In FRANCE

istry had merited well of those win"
dream of a greater France enNcloped 10,
more healthrul atmosphere
Combes. II is significant Of the changed
condition. 10 remark won his spurs
republican CHEZ by asht
Silent on ing religion and the
p.,: church. At the banquet
eAieion' he had nothing 20 say on
this his ideal Combes felt that nc had
, overdone his role. The public were tired
OF II not ashamed of their part in II, Some
other cry must be invented At the hour
OF the banquet Combes lad invented moth
ing. Hence his silence. The question OF
confidence WAS boldly launched by n.
Poincare on the 18th and the vote of the
| chamber on the proportional representa-
ton. passed by a large majority. hes been
a terrible blow To radical and radical-so-
cialist. These latter felt sure that they
held the ministry in their grasp and fully
expected its fall. The deception was
great.
breath and lead the new assault upon
the government. He presented a motion
asking the government to conform IL
certain rules. II was not necessary, he
said that the ministry should have the
majority Of the chamber: IL was neces-
sary to have the majority OF the repuh-
| lican party. The pretension was certainly
novel.
| NJ. Breton. one of the most obstinat.
| adversarfes of the proportional reform.
| launched bomb in demanding the urr
.ent withdrawal OF the bill. NJ. Poincare
caught the bomb with both hands Il
accept the urgent withdrawal he cried
| The tests voted too confused and
! too complex. and do not satisfy me.
accept because IL win permit me To sub
nit without delay sonnet hing more pre-
| else and satisfactory something which
/ shows our fixed and unaltcrable princi-
| pies. project which will have the col
/ lective responsibility Of the ministry. The
government. | repeat, Is entirely I'm ac-
! cord on the question Of proportional re-
| FORM
NJ. Breton asked with insistence:
| Where commenced and where finished
| the republican majority The united SOL
| cialists. were they a part? The pro-,
| gressists We're they a part?' Some such
| dilemma. singular TO relate. is a matter
| of actual discussion in parties this
| side OF the Atlantic. and especially In the
| republican party. And this situation is
| the more singular because showing how
| similar are the conditions of party lines
| on both sides of the ocean.
| The radical socialists claim that they.
/ In fact, constitute the body and soul OF
! the republican party in
/ Socialist France. alleging their great
r,.: services to the republic. But
they reminded that the
liberal and moderate republicans as they
1 were known formerly. and who are termed
! progressists now. contributed largely to
the first establishment Of the republic.
For fact. without the latter the re-
public would never have been founded.
1t is well to recall this fact. which ap-
pears TO have been effaced. at the moment
when the republican parry is purging IT,
/, self of its heresies and starts anew as a
| sane and patriotic party. having been
insane and anti-patriotic party during .
| protracted period.
The real republican party affirms its re-
sumption of power by the passage of the
proportional representation measure. The
scrutin. secret district ballot. has been
condemned. Those who desire its main
tenance no longer dare defend II openly.
| 1t is interesting at this moment to
quote what NJ. Guizot said of this re-
form on the eve of the revolution of Feb
ruary. 1S41 the more SO that NJ. Augag-
neur employs the same argument now:
| IF our electoral system was a living
person. and could speak in this assembly.
he would be right to be astonshed and
to complain. What system. he concluded.
| has ever been submitted SO quickly? IL
has always triumphed. and they ask YOU
to condemn and reform it. Gentlemen.
| II 1t could speak. il would be right to
accuse LIS of ingratitude. What was
| said by Guizot of the merits of the cleo
toral system in 1S41 was doubtless just.
But the virtues of that system have
fallen into dsuse. II is the same case
with the district system tscrLtin dar-
rondissement), which is dead. The radical
party dies at the same time.
\
NJ. Poincare has wisely considered the
new wants which have been created after
| forty years of republican
Conditions government. Other gen.
| -, erations have come which
Cnanged. do not resemble each
other at ALL Government does not pre-
| tend to impose the proportional represen-
! tation without adaptation. 1t admits that
the chamber should refuse that part re-
Iating to the grouping of several depart
ments into one electoral circumscrfption.
The Correspondent. writing of the inter-
esting situation in France. says:
THE radical and radical-sociaiist par
ties, our masters. have shown what they
are and what they would be-
| The radicals and radical-sociaiists
| launched NJ. Renoult as candidate to re-
| place NJ. Brisson, president of the cham
| Der. Then NJ. Georges SOcHery OF the
| old guard "blocarde." NJ Renoult was
quickly out of the game. NJ. Cochery
obtained 9S In vote of 536. Then came
| the struggle between NJ. Etenne and NJ.
Deschanel The latter's victory over all
the candidates is another assurance that
| the radical reign in France Is finished.
/ The wave of revolt and reaction against
| their tyrannical policy is running strong
and II extends as il advances. The peo-
ple want no more radicalism-no more
! radicals.
M Millerand read Alright the signs, ana
| in order to encourage the republican re
! actionary movement which was based
I upon patriotic sentiment, he revived
| old martial bugle calls and caused regi-
ments of all arms to pass through the
streets Of Paris preceded by bands. The
| effect was magical in Paris and In France
| The people had almost forgotten their
| love Of the military At this moment all
France has been awakened. II fs not only
the military, there Is renewed life In all
| the departments. NJ. Guisthan. minister
| of public instruction, proposes to establish
a general competition between the ly-
ceurns Of Paris. the underlying object be-
ing the announcement Of love Of country
i'm place OF the collectivistic and anar-
chisttc ideas which have been insidiousy
disseminated by some singular types of
the radical-socialist professor.
NJ Poincare in the course of his speech
in the chamber turned toward the radi-
cal and radical-socialist benches. and, ad-
dressing these members as "Messieurs les
refractaires' won the applause of the
conservatives. but provoked howls of