332 



FRANCE. 



labor disturbances, and the latter was condemned 

 to imprisonment for three months because he 

 put up placards calling a public meeting. The 

 Minister of the Interior declared his intention 

 of expelling from France the 4,000 or 5,000 for- 

 eigners who trouble public security, and whom 

 he had often refused to give up to their own 

 governments. The Chamber, on May 14, passed 

 a bill imposing three months' imprisonment on 

 any employer who dismisses a workman because 

 he belongs to a trade union. M. Constans framed 

 a bill to pay out of the state treasury one third 

 of insurance premiums of workmen who, from 

 the age of twenty-five, insure for an annuity not 

 exceeding 360 francs payable after they reach the 

 age of fifty-five. In June M. Ribot addressed a cir- 

 cular to French representatives abroad requesting 

 them to furnish information respecting the mat- 

 ters discussed at the Berlin Conference and allied 

 topics. He calls for reports on the condition of 

 working people in foreign countries on the na- 

 ture of labor contracts, measures taken in respect 

 to unhealthful or dangerous workshops and oc- 

 cupations, the protection of women and chil- 

 dren, the length of the working day, Sunday 

 labor, the liability of employers, co-operative in- 

 stitutions, credit and savings banks for the poor, 

 and all kinds of labor legislation enacted or 

 proposed. This information is desired for the 

 purpose of aiding the Government in devising a 

 general scheme supplementing the labor laws, 

 which are considered to be already more ad- 

 vanced and enlightened than those of any other 

 country. The Minister of Commerce instituted 

 an inquiry into the conditions of labor in France, 

 embracing wages, hours of labor, accidents, lia- 

 bility of workmen to disease in various employ- 

 ments, night work, modes of employment, houses, 

 dress, and food of workmen, the number of chil- 

 dren employed, and the numbers of men and 

 women in different occupations and their ages. 

 Among the proposals affecting the laboring class 

 under the consideration of the Chamber was 

 one to appoint representative working men to 

 supervise labor in mines. A bill concerning the 

 liability of employers introduced by the Minis- 

 ter of Commerce gives workmen compensation 

 for accidents, to be paid out of a fund assessed 

 on all employers of the respective classes. 



The Orleanisfs. At the time when the Duke 

 of Orleans went to Paris in defiance of the law 

 of expulsion to offer himself as a conscript, the 

 Due de Chartres and other members of the Or- 

 leans family almost persuaded the Count of 

 Paris to abdicate his right of succession to the 

 crown of France in favor of his son. The alli- 

 ance with the Boulangists, into which the Count 

 of Paris had reluctantly entered, and which 

 many of the old followers of the Comte de 

 Charnbord had entirely disapproved, came to 

 an end after the flight of Boulanger, who was 

 subsequently deserted by a large number of his 

 own adherents. In September revelations re- 

 garding the alliance were published by M. Mer- 

 meix, which reflected discredit not only on Gen. 

 Boulanger but on the Bourbon pretender and 

 his advisers. The Duchesse d'Uzes acknowledged 

 that she had given a large part of the election- 

 eering fund that was distributed profusely by 

 the Boulangist candidates. The Orleanists wepe 

 not willing to coalesce with the Boulangists at 



first, but when she offered to pay the expenses of 

 the campaign, l^he Count of Paris and his brother 

 accepted the proposal, themselves contributing 

 nothing. It was understood that after the res- 

 toration of the monarchy she should receive 

 back the sum that she gave to Gen. Boulanger, 

 which was 3,000,000 francs. After the disclos- 

 ures, when on the point of leaving for the United 

 States, the Count of Paris wrote a letter for 

 publication, dated Sept. 23, in which he at- 

 tempted to justify his course in the following 

 words : 



I think I have understood well at a difficult mo- 

 ment the interests of the Monarchist cause. Pro- 

 scribed by the republic, I take up, in order to fight 

 it, the arms with which it supplies me. I do not re- 

 gret having made use of them to divide the Republi- 

 cans. Their agitation before the elections, their vio- 

 . lence after them, show what would have been the 

 consequences of success. 



As the representative of monarchy I ought to neg- 

 lect no opportunity of preparing its triumph. I de- 

 sired that speech should be restored to the country. 

 I have never pursued any other aim and have never 

 expected anything except from France. To-day I 

 ask my friends not to delay, not to indulge in re- 

 criminations over the past/ but to assert resolutely 

 their faith in the monarchical principle, and to unite 

 to continue the struggle. 



The Paris Anti-Slavery Congress. The 

 congress convoked by Cardinal Lavigerie met in 

 Paris on Sept. 22. The programme embraced 

 the following points : (1) Public adherence to 

 the general act of the International Anti-Slavery 

 Conference at Brussels ; (2) the division of the 

 anti-slavery work among independent national 

 committees and the determination of their spheres 

 of action ; (3) the examination of the question 

 whether it is advisable for the committees to 

 lend their active co-operation to their respect- 

 ive governments by organizing bodies of armed 

 troops and the study of the best means to secure 

 resources for the committees as provided in the 

 Brussels general act. The desire of the French 

 society was to limit the action of each national 

 committee to the territories protected by its flag. 

 To this the delegates of the British and Foreign 

 Anti-Slavery Society would not agree, and they 

 were supported in their objection by delegates 

 from Germany, Italy, and Belgium. The reso- 

 lutions that were adopted approve the formation 

 of separately organized committees in each coun- 

 try united in a common object, acting in the first 

 place by pacific means, especially by supporting 

 missionary work for the moral improvement of 

 the negroes. The national committees shall en- 

 deavor to enlist the sympathy of private persons 

 and to obtain voluntary support, and the hope 

 is expressed that the Pope will sanction an an- 

 nual appeal for funds. Measures are recom- 

 mended to be taken to prevent abuses in recruit- 

 ing colored laborers and to guard the liberty of 

 the blacks, and Mohammedan states are re- 

 quested to watch against dangers threatening 

 civilization and the liberty of the negroes in con- 

 sequence of the development of certain Moham- 

 medan sects. The national committees are de- 

 sired to publish reports of their work. The hope 

 was expressed that goods sent to Africa in con- 

 nection with missionary work may be admitted 

 free of duty. A resolution of thanks was passed 

 for the giver of 200,000 francs as a prize for the 



