FRANCE. 



331 



spired by it." With this preface, the declara- 

 tion contained a promise of bills with the object 

 of developing relief for the poor, providence, the 

 spirit of mutual assistance in a word, all the 

 elements of a progressive amelioration in the lot 

 of laborers and of security for their old age. The 

 ministry declared its purpose to be a Govern- 

 ment in the full sense of the word, to enforce 

 the laws at home, make France respected abroad, 

 and show its action in all manifestations of na- 

 tional life, making citizens feel that the course 

 of public affairs is not governed by chance, but 

 obeys a firm and sustained impulse. On the 

 demand of M. Lockroy, the Radical, for a decla- 

 ration on the subject of the secularization of 

 schools and the military service of theological 

 students, M. de Freycinet said that the school 

 and recruiting laws would be enforced firmly, 

 but with fairness. The Cabinet decided to Te-' 

 place conventual by lay female teachers gradu- 

 ally, and in a way not to offend the religious 

 sentiments of the people. The interpretation of 

 the Turkish treaty to which M. Spuller had 

 agreed was upheld as a temporary arrangement, 

 lasting only till 1892. 



The Tariff Question. The near approach 

 of the expiration of the treaties of commerce 

 that have subsisted between France and the ma- 

 jority of commercial countries for thirty years 

 has made the choice between high protection, 

 moderate protection, and free trade the question 

 of the day. In the Tirard Cabinet free-trade 

 opinions prevailed, but -not in the Chamber or 

 the Senate. Deputy Meline, a Moderate Repub- 

 lican, president of what was called the Agrarian 

 Group, who as president of a tariff committee 

 and, for a part of the time, as minister had 

 carried through the grain duties, the cattle 

 duty, and a long series of high-tariff measures 

 and had acted as the leader of the Protectionists 

 of all parties during the whole period of the last 

 Chamber, proposed the creation of a committee 

 of fifty-five members to have charge of all cus- 

 toms legislation. The chief of the Cabinet, be- 

 ing unable to prevent the appointment of the 

 committee, endeavored to have enough Free- 

 traders elected to counterbalance the Protec- 

 tionist element; yet it was constituted on Jan. 

 29, with a two-third majority of Protectionists, 

 and M. Meline was chosen its president. The 

 course of the committee in regard to the com- 

 mercial treaties was no longer doubtful when 

 Leon Say, in the interest of free trade, pro- 

 nounced against their renewal. M. Ribot con- 

 demned the treaties as an advocate of a protect- 

 ive tariff not only against the industrial prod- 

 ucts of Europe but against agricultural com- 

 petition from across the sea, and ex-Minister 

 Peytral, who defended the commercial treaties, 

 would suppress the most-favored-nation clause. 

 The majority of the committee desired that for 

 conventions, binding the nation for ten years, 

 when the conditions of labor, industry,' and 

 commerce are constantly changing, there should 

 be substituted a general tariff with moderate 

 duties, so adjusted as to compensate French 

 laborers and place them on an equality with 

 foreigners. M. Ribot and M. Meline were of the 

 opinion that two general tariffs should be estab- 

 lished, one offering lower rates to nations giv- 

 ing reciprocal advantages, though some feared 



that Germany might demand the application to 

 her of the minimum tariff by virtue of the 

 treaty of Frankfort. The framework of a new 

 system has already been provided by the revis- 

 ion begun in 1876 and completed in 1881, which 

 changed all the ad valorem into specific duties 

 and transformed a tariff that dated from the be- 

 ginning of the century and was no longer in 

 harmony with the development of industry. 

 The Chamber and Senate agreed to increased im- 

 port duties : On Indian corn, 3 francs per metric 

 quintal ; on Indian meal, 6 francs ; on unhulled 

 rice, 3 francs ; on hulled rice or meal, 8 francs ; 

 on millet, 3 francs. Indian corn and rice des- 

 tined for starch manufacture are entered free 

 under regulations guarding against their being 

 made into glucose. The Cabinet decided on 

 submitting two tariffs, one for nations giving 

 France commercial advantages, which can be ap- 

 plied or revoked at the discretion of the Govern- 

 ment, unless Parliament shall pass a law guaran- 

 teeing a term of duration for any particular na- 

 tion. 



Labor Legislation. M. Constans, as Minis- 

 ter of the Interior, displayed a determination to 

 hold in check the labor agitation that made him 

 very unpopular with the Radicals and Socialists. 

 The exhibition year was marked by the great 

 number of strikes, many of which were success- 

 ful. For the encouragement and support of an 

 extensive strjke in the Rhone district the Mu- 

 nicipal Council of Paris voted a sum of money ; 

 but this gift was canceled by the Government 

 on the ground that the council had exceeded its 

 powers. Bills for the extension of the powers of 

 the councils of prud'Tiommes and for their elec- 

 tion on a more popular basis, and also for the 

 establishment of boards of arbitration to settle 

 strikes, were submitted to the Chamber by M. 

 Lockroy. In February Parliament voted to 

 abolish the livret or workman's book, in which 

 his successive employers record the dates of his 

 entering and leaving their service. M. Bourgeois, 

 on March 4, presented a programme of legisla- 

 tion embracing the encouragement of mutual- 

 aid societies, co-operative associations of work- 

 men and profit-sharing and the organization of 

 public charity outside the towns, and the reform 

 of the public health service. When accused by 

 the Boulangist Laur of cringing to Germany by 

 sending delegates to the Berlin Labor Confer- 

 ence, M. Spuller answered that it was an act 

 of international life which was no innovation, 

 though it was new that in a gathering convened 

 by a monarchical state, France should have the 

 honor of upholding her principles of justice and 

 liberty, and, grown proud and strong again, she 

 would be certain to utter there the voice of rea- 

 son, humanity, civilization, and progress. M. 

 Constans gave warning that no processions or as- 

 semblages of working men in public places would 

 be permitted on May 1, and he took military 

 precautions to have his interdict respected. The 

 72 persons who were condemned for excesses 

 connected with the labor manifestations were 

 afterward pardoned by President Carnot. On 

 May 2 and 3 strikes and labor disturbances broke 

 out again in the north, 40,000 men leaving work 

 in Roubaix, Turcoing, Lannoy, Croix, and neigh- 

 boring places. Louise Michel and the Marquis 

 of Mores were arrested on the charge of inciting 



