Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, NOV. 22, 1898. A Coming Revolution.

Manawatu Herald, 22 November 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, NOV. 22, 1898. A Coming Revolution.

France has been in a state of unrest for the past one hundred years, dating from the first Republic in the year 1792, and all things point to another upheaval at any day. Tab. ing the fact of the many changes in the character of the government of i.he country it will be seen that there has been no opportunity given to its inhabitants to settle down into a self-governing community such as w<? possess. The first revolution was the result of theories carried out by incompetent persons who quickly rushed to bloodghed in their im. patience to reach a given point, and thus resulted in strong men over, coming the doctrinaires and assuming control and upsetting all the views of the weaker men. Thus the National Convention formed in 1792 was changed into the Directory in 1795, and four years later into the 0 insulate. The First Consul was Napoleon Bonaparte, the third son of Charles Bonaparte of Corsica. Having entered the French army as an officer of the Engineers he soon rose to a position at its head, and ffom First Consul he became Em ppror in 1804. After ten years of power the Allies defeated him at the battle of Waterloo, and then the Bourbons were restored, and Louis XVIII, Charles X, and Louis Phil lipne followed one another till in 1848 the second Republic was pro claimed. Almost the same encroach raent of power was observed by Louis Napoleon, the nephew of Napoleon I. He was also an officer of the corps of Engineers. Having been elected a member of the National Assembly in June 1848, hp was chosen president of that body in the following December. In November 1851 h<s successfully carried out a coup d' etat and had his election as president declared good for ten years, but he secured the position as Bmneror of tho French in December 1852 after he had a carefully con ducted election, which gave him that position " by the will of the people." A short period of eighteen years power was brought to a conclusion hy the defeat by the Germans at Sedan, and then the third, and present, Republic was proclaimed. Sine? this date there have been some six Presidents and a new Ministry <>very nine months. Owing to the ! o<*s of the Provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, the Republic has been giving the greatest attention to the mprovempnt of the army in the hope ~>f being able some day to recapture • hun. In the story of " The life and reisn of Napoleon III," pub lished in London in 1855, we find ;nme comments on the state of :>ublic affairs which would answer for to-day bs it did tor forty-three years ago. The author remarks that 11 pven during the timp that Napoleon Til held the office of Presidpnt of the Republic he could not fail to perceive that the whole Republic itself was, to use the expressive word? of one of our own writers, ' a mere oham,' that there was nothing belonging to it that bad the elements of permanpncy. The un worthiness of the intrigues brought before his ■^ye.p, the determination on the part of those exiles to whom we have already alluded to, who had constituted themselves exiles, as they would have the world believe, for liberty's sake, to throw themselves, so far as it was possible for them to do so, into the stream of events in

France, in order that they might, by pampering the lowest passions of the psople, obtain a temporary power, and make use cE that power to enrich and aggrandize themselves," to prevent which, and to secura the " spoils to tho victors " Napoleon arranged his coup <T etat. Can it be said that any of the conditions are different at this day. The military element is aroused at the disolosares of Dreyfus and they have not phirked forgery and perjury to remove this unhappy man out of their path. The danger that public feeling will eventually so far prevail, so that a proper inquiry may be held, is imminent and from men, { who have already gone so far, tb« overthrow of the government would be but a trifle. Unfortunately for France, there still hangs around the mmc of Napoleon a charm which parniifcs many unlawful acts done in such name to be forgiven, and there i 3 still one of the family ready to risk all to gain the posHon as Emperor of the Frenoh. This Napoleon n the younger brother of Prince Victor Bonaparte, and possesses the name of Louis, and is at present in the Russian army. It is said that, the high officers of the French army have been tampered with and thay are ready to expouse his cause. The " humiliation " of France at Fashoda will be used for all that it is worth in working on the passions of the masses and a comparison be tween the present power of France to that possessed under the rule of Napoleon T, who was, at one tiro* 1 master of Europe, and Napoleon 111 who wag credited with being one of the foremost of headers of the world, after the Crimean war, will not be to the advantage of the present Republic. It will be of no use for thoughtful men to point out to a vexed and affronted nation that the changed conditions of France, from its almost stationary condition of population, prevents any chance of its entering upon a new era of brilliant military engagements ; these things will be'lost in the glamour thrown over them all by the Napoleonic lustre, and everything points to a very speedy change of the Third RepuWic into an Empire with Napoleon 1111 as Emperor. How much of this that is of interest to us, is the attitude that will be taken by a military aristocracy in the foreign affairs of the country. To facilitate the firm seating of the new Emperor on the throne, and tha smothering ■>f the army seanJals. causes t\xe> Ministers of Great Britain to fear the French army will declare for war, and that war will be against Great Britain. Thus if it ia not Egypt, and it is not Russia in China, it is the possibility of a Frenoh revolution that has forced the British government to take those steps of preparation for war that she has, and the gravity of the situation can be guaged whpn it is learnt that no such preparations have been made 8 > complete before.

The Whangaroa is now at the wharl with but a small portion of her loading, the remainder coming from Tahoraite. It is expected she will get away at the end of the week.

To-night a social will be held at the Primitive Methodist Schoolroom to take leave of Mrs and Miss Newth, who are leaving the district.

Notification is given by Mr Chapman Returning Officer, that Mr Alfred Fraser, being the only candidate nominated, is duly elected Mayor of Foxton.

The Sultan is making inquiries as to the meaning of Lord Salisbury's recent reference to a decaying nation, and says that if Turkey is meant he warmly repudiates the imputation, after Kaiser William's recognition of her vitality.

Detective Henderson on Friday arrested a man named Harry Solomon on a charge of having forged the name of Hema Te Ao to a programme purporting to be the official programme of the Otaki Racing Club, with the intention that the said programme should be deomed genuine. Mr Hema Te Ao is the secretary of the Otaki Racing Club, and he took proceedings against defendant after a number of people had complained to him of selling incorrect books. — " Times."

Lawyer : " Did he charge you with lying in so many words ? " Client : " Well, he called me a weather forecast." Lawyer: "That is sufficient. You stand a wonderfully good chance of getting damages."

The Turks believe amber to be an infallible guard against the injurious effects of nicotine ; hence its extensive use for the mouthpieces of pipes.

Among the Princess pf Wales's treasures is a beautiful pair of operaglasses of platinum set with rubies, sapphires, and turquoises, and valued at £2,000. As a punishment for strewing orange peel on the deck, a number of the crew of the British battleship Majestic, one of the largest ships in the Navy, had their privileges curtailed. In retaliation they threw a quantity of gunfittings overboard.

At the annual dinner of the Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association on Wednesday the Premier stated that about 22 locomotives and 700 trucks had been added to the rolling-stock of the railway.

Lord Hawke says he considers that a professional cricketer, if he is thrifty, can make an excellent living, and he usually has a nest-egg of £tooo or £1,500 from a benefit at the end of his career.

We are glad to find that Mr J. R. Blair has received no opposition for the office of Mayor of Wellington, Mr George Fisher having wisely retired.

The " Temps " publishes a wonder* I ful story, for which it vouches, of >. , horse \i !Uch left its stable at night, went do.vn steps to a cellar, and drank wine ! S irely its ancestors must have been w! le-merchants' horses, if there is anyth' ig in heredity.

An mi portant result is expected from the Kai :r's visit to the Holy Land in giving a. ; impetus to the Zionist movement, which has for its object the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. The Sultan's sympathy with the movement has been aroused.

The f blowing are the winners of points prizes at the Palmerston A and P Show. —Thoroughbreds, D. Fraser : shorthorns. McHardy Bros.; Lincolns, Hon J. D. Ormond; Romneys, W. Ballan. Most points — Fat cattle, McHardy ; fat sheep, Thompson Bros, dairy cattle, S. V. Burridge.

An old Greek city is said to have been discovered in Asia Minor, covered up in the accumulated dust of ages. On being laid bare it was found to be wonderfully perserved, quite equal in that respect to the Roman Pompeii. The city appears to be of the period when Greek art was at its highest, the streets being symmetrically laid out, and exhibiting many architectural features of great beauty. Among the structures exhumed is a theatre almost intact, a thorough examination of which is expected to throw light on some disputed points as to the Greek mode of dramatic presentation.

Through traffic on the Wairarapa line was resumed yesterday.

Lord Herschell. President of the Conference which is endeavouring to adjust the differences between the United States and Canada, has been entertained at a banquet by the New York Chamber of Commerce, and was given an immense ovation. The toast of the Queen's health was givon precedence over that of the President.

The " Post " says as the new steamer now in course of construction for Messrs Levin and Co. will shortly arrive in the colony, steps are being taken by the firm to again work up the East Coast trade by aid of the Beautiful Star. When the Kiwi was lost a considerable portion of the trade other that that required for the firm's immediate use was allowed to lapse. It is said that the new steamer will replace the Queen of the South in the Foxton trade, while the older boat which has done such good service for many years in that running, will be utilised tor the East Coast requirements ; also, that Captain Harvey is to have command of the new vessel, and Captain Campbell will take the Queen. The new battleship Formidable has been launched at Portsmouth. She is a vessel of 15,000 tons displacement, and is to have a speed of 18 knots an hour. Her armament is similar to that of the Majestic — viz., four i2in breechloading guns, twelve 6ir» tjwick-firing gums, eighteen i2pr. twelve 3 pr, and eight machine guns, besides five torpedo tubes. There was great display of bunting at the launching, and the British and American flags were entwined.

Rumours have been in circulation for two or three days past says the N.Z. "Times" to the effect that serious criminal charges were pending against a well-known citizen of Wellington, who is said to have defrauded people to the extent of several thousands of pounds. The police authorities state that they have received no complaint on the subject ; but inquiry elsewhere elicits the fact that the person pointed at by report has for two days been missed from his usual haunts. It is fully expected that sensational developments will take place, unless, of course the alleged delinquent contrives to get the affair hushed up.

Although the flood in the Hutt is the heaviest the district has known for over 38 years, the damage done does not threaten to be large. The spring crops are nearly all upon higher ground than the waters reached. There is a large area under potato crops, but as the plants are pretty well grown, it is not anticipated that the roots will suffer much, if any, damage.