Our Paris Letter.

Manawatu Herald, 1 May 1894, Page 3

Our Paris Letter.

♦ (prom our own correspondent.) Paris, 28th Feb., J894. Since the explosion of the bomb at the Hotel Terminus, two similar explosions have occurred in different parts of Paris - one on the right and one on the lefb bank of the Seine. Unlike the affair at the Hotel Terminus, which seems to have had no definite object in view, the subsequent explosions aimed at prominent police functionaries. The French Government has made numerous arrests and seized a large quantity of letters and other documents. It now seems certain that there is an Anarchist organisation, and that a certain sum of money is at their disposal. Where the money comes from, and who the real chiefs of the conspiracy are, still remains to be discovered ; but it is believed the police are on the trapes of the plotters, and that the ouriogity of the public in this respect will soon be satisfied. The plan seems to be to operate singly, but whatever is to be done, is decided at Anarohlst meetings. These meetings now rarely take place, owing to the new law declaring them illegal. The Socialists have obtained a new recruit in the person of M. Cavaignac, an eminent Moderate Bepublican, who, in a reoent speeoh at Lyons, declared himself in favour of a progressive income-tax — one of the leading Socialist measures. What has led M. Cavaignac to take this step, bo muoh in contradiction with his former principles, it is Impossible to say; but the most charitable construction is that, in face of increased expenditure, he ii desirous of finding new resources. A leading Hepublioan journal points out, that both militarism anil Socialism itquire money, and plenty of it — and M. Cavaignac possibly thinks that a progressive income-tax will open upon unemployed a mine of fiscal wealth. He does not explain whether this progressive income-tax is to be an abolition of existing taxes, or to supersede them. In the former case it would prove an intolerable burden on French industry, and in the latter case the revenue, expected from it, would be considerably diminished. In any case, there is one effect of a progressive incometax, that M. Cavaignac does not foresee that is the flight of capital from France. The question of the election of M. Wilson, son-in-law of the late President Greiy, as Deputy for Loches, was before the Chamber of Deputies the day before yesterday. As was to have been expected, it gave rise to a stormy debate, which ended in the invalidation of the election by 465 votes to 2. M. Wilson is determined to appeal to bis constituents.