SERIOUS CRISIS IN FRANCE.

Colonist, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8148, 17 January 1895, Page 2

SERIOUS CRISIS IN FRANCE.

A certain journalist deolared that the murder of M. Carnot, the former President of France, created a perfect explosion of sympathy, but he asserted that M. Oasimir P. tier, who has just resigned this high office, is a statesman by here.ity. It was .aid that " his •'nstincts are paoifio, and although he ia regarded by the Socialists with a detestation which mine owt ers seem to excite in Fr_noe more than in any other country, there is no reason to believe that he will not be as good a Prtßident as France could have found." Unfortunately, however, feeling in F ance during the !ast cix months has been lunning in advance of prudence. Fully two months ago Sir R. Temple, M.P., said that he wa. in a posi ion to say that stories told in the English Press regarding the dangerous condition of publio opinion in Franoe towards Ecg'and were not fictitious, but very sober realities. Sinoe then, as we have been led to judge by cabled reports, disaffection ha 3 been growing, and whilst Soo^alist'o members have been using strong language, the Pi\ss has not refrained from insulting the President. That discontent has been widespread bas been evident, and the able correspondent of the ' London Times,' M. Blowitz, has further indicated fhe position of affairs by affirming that France is in a revolutionary sta'e Under these circumstances the resig a .on of the President may well bave been the very best thing that oould have happened, for in the absence of an internal difficu'ty, an explosion n_ ght at once have been cause! that wonld bare Bhaken all Europe. The situation is a critio.l one, f r it is plain that neither regard for past services nor consideration for those impelled by good intentions is being felt by the people, and though there may be a temporary cobbling, there is reason to fear that a wide breach, with all that may entail, may bring troub'e in the vety near future.