The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1892.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 270, 12 November 1892, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1892.

For the oauie that lack* aeslitanco, For tha mm that need! resistance, Tor thß fatur» In the dlitanco. And tha good that wi can do.

It is often said by those who are fond of contrasting British with foreign administrations, that the French authorities are prompt and decisive in quelling disturbances among the people. This doctrine is certainly noi; borne out by the recent events that have occured in connection with the Carmaux strike. The action of the French authorities in dealing with the strikers has been, from first to last, characterised by a weakness and vacillation that would appear incredible it abundant evidence did not exist. The truckling policy has borne its natural fruits. The Anarchists have been encouraged to put their baleful principles into practice, and at the present moment the Government and people in France are mad with terror and excitement.

The conduct of the French author1' ties in their dealings with the Carmaux strikers, stands out in sharp contrast to that of the Mew South Wales Government, in connection with the recent mining dispute at Broken Hill. Some few weeks ago, in consequence of a dispute with the Carmaux mining companies the French miners went out on strike.. The fierce attitude^assumed by the strikers, and the outrages they committed, speedily drew the attention of the whole nation to their proceedings, With that characteristic disposition to sympathise with resistance to

authority, that marks a section of the French people, the strikers, from the first, elicited more sympathy than seemed called for by the existence of any peculiar circumstance in their favour so far as the merits of the dispute were concerned. The disturbances at length became so serious that M, Loubet, the French Premier, offered to arbitrate between the contending parties. The offer was accepted by the mine-owners, and, after some hesitation, by the men. The result showed how little the Bill which lias been recently introduced into the French Chamber of Deputies, providing for arbitration on the voluntary principle, is likely to have any practical effect in solving the industrial difficulty. The Premier's award distinctly favoured the miners, but it was indignantly rejected, because he firmly refused to interfere on behalf of a number of rioters, who had been convicted and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment. There was no attempt made to show that these men had any special claim for mercy. They had been guilty of acts of personal violence, had destroyed property, and endeavoured to blow up the mines on which the prosperity of the district depended. In any other country than France the great body of the people would have applauded the Premier's verdict. It might, at least, have been reasonably supposed, that even in a French Legislative Council the Premier's hands would have been strengthened. The elementary duty of a government to maintain law and order is so universally recognised, that in such a crisis politicians of all ! shades of opinion usually join hands to support the common cause. But the opportunity afforded for making political capital out of the strike was too great for the integrity of some of the members of the Chamber of Deputies. M. Clemenceau announced that he had pledged himself to secure the pardon of the rioters, but the promise given by a private member could not, of course, bind the Government. In the face of the Premier's recent decision the action of M. Clemenceau seems not only impolitic, but in the highest degree impertinent. It served, however, the purpose intended. The Carmaux miners, encouraged by this move on the part of their champion, at once clamoured that they only resumed work on account oS the pledge he had made. The friends of the rioters, taking the cue, flooded the Chamber of Deputies with petitions for the release of the prisoners. The Government, after a feeble resistance, yielded to the clamour, and the rioters were released, and cheered as heroes by the unthinking crowd, instead of being left to suffer the just punishment due to their crimes.

It must have been with grave apprehensions that many French citizens viewed the triumph of lawlessness, but M. Clemenceau was so satisfied with his work that he openly proclaimed his exultation. He gravely assured the French nation that the strike at Carrnaux had resulted in "a democratic victory throughout the world." The democratic party will not, we imagine, be very grateful to M. Clemenceau for the assurance that a triumph over law and order is a great democratic victory. If such wild talk emanated from an irresponsible mob orator, it would be received with contemptuous indifference; but in the mouth of a statesman such language is passing strange. It shows to what dangerous lengths even a politician may be hurried in seasons of wild excitement. The New South Wales Government has lately been treated to some very strong speeches from some of the Labour members in Parliament, but even the most excited speaker never ventured, openly, to defend breaches of the law. All sorts of excuses were made for the rioters of the strike party, but the most rabid member did not venture to assert, that if acts of violence were committed, the perpetrators should be allowed to go scot free. The teaching of democracy throughout the world is not only that the law should be maintained in its integrity, but that it should be impartially administered to both rich and poor. The statement of M. Clemenceau will be indignantly repudiated by democrats everywhere, for they will see in the outcome of the Carmaux strike the triumph of the principle, not of democracy, but of anarchy.

It would not be fair to charge the Carmaux miners with the dastardly outrage that has just occurred at Paris. They have since held a meeting at which the use of dynamile was denounced. It is probable, too, that while M. Clemenceau was indulging in revolutionary talk, he did not stop to weigh the effect his thoughtless words might produce upon a lawless section of the populace. The Anarchists, encouraged by the weakness of the Executive, and stimulated by the refreshing speeches of some Radical members of the Legislature, thought the opportunity a favourable one for putting into operation one of their own pet schemes for regenerating society. The best way of settling the mining dispute was, in their opinion, to blow the directors sky high. The "infernal machine" that was to effect their purpose was duly adjusted and placed outside the Company's office. It was discovered and removed to the police station, where it exploded, scattering destruction and death. The spectacle of a pile of shattered bodies, mutely appealing to the nation for vengeance, seems to have roused both people and Government to frenzy. In the Chamber of Deputies, members have passed from the extreme of confidence to dismay, and from laxity in administration to advocacy of the most extreme measures. The unfortunate Premier, who yielded reluctantly to grant to rioters a pardon whicKhis beter judgment condemned,

is now taunted with the weakness he displayed. The chief fault, probably, which the Government has to reproach itseif with is its want of courage in dealing firmly with the rioters, but it forms a convenient scapegoat, on which to load the whole weight of blame connected with the disastrous events that have just occurred.

The New South Wales Government acted wisely in declining to interfere to arrest the trial of the Broken Hill strike leaders. If the. men had been found innocent of the charges preferred against them they would have returned in triumph to their friends. They were found guilty, and none but reckless partisans complain that they are punished. We have already expressed our opinion that the sentences are unduly severe, but to have acquitted them in face of the evidence of so many witnesses would have been a triumph for nothing but the cause of lawlessness. The wisdom of the respective policies pursued by the Governments of France and New South Wales in dealing wiih rioters can be best estimated by considering the subsequent events that have occurred in those countries.