Parisian Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 26, 19 October 1888, Page 7

Parisian Notes.

The strikes have at length terminated, in the manner common to such movements, that is, by the starving out of the men engaged in them. But although there is a great deal of misery in Paris, where, in tonne branches of trade, the sweating system, known in French as wutrefmndage, prevails even under worse circumstances than in London, and where the consequent destitution of the people, more especially of the women, has a most disastrous effect upon the morality of the city, the stjikes were not altogether based upon the meceuities of the classes engaged in them, but were furthered, and in some instances undertaken, on purely revolutionary motives. The spirit that actuated the men may, iodeed, be perceived from the reproaches addressed to the Premier by the delegates that waited on him, and by whom it was represented as a peculiar hardship that the police and troops had been permitted to oppose tho people in their riots. The disturbances, then, may perhaps be over for a time, but no assurance can be entertained against their recurrence. The causes from which they arose, the hardship which undoubtedly presses on the people, and which, under no form of Government has been exceeded, and the feeling of discontent, being still as strong as ever. The state of things, in fact, under the Republic goes from bad to worse, and sooner or later must result fatally for the system under which it exists.

Although France had little right lo expect anything from the Bmperor William 11. and was fully aware of the fact it could not be expected that his Majesty "a late speech at Frankfort should fail to be felt here. The occasion was that on which the Emperor took the opportunity of removing, as he said, the stigma that had been cast upon the memory of his father by the report that it bad been his intention io surrender the conquered territory of Alsace-Lorraine. The Emreror contradicted the report indignantly and protested that the whole German army and people wculd choose annihilation rather than consent to any such surrender. The beast is felt to be as wanton as it is insulting, nor has it done much to clear the memory of the Imperor Frederick, as his son pretended to desire, for, whatever the policy of that Emperor might have been, asguided by expediency or necessity, the well known fact that he had, in advance, looked upon any seizure of territory as a certain cause of unending wars still proves what his true mind must have been. Still the action of William 11., has occasioned no surprise, no gracious act or conciliating policy on his part being attended— but. on the contrary, every expectation existing as to the manifestation c f his evil disposition— of which perhaps more anoD.

It is, they gay, an ill wind that blows nobody good. General Bonlanger probably owes it to the defiance bnrled at France in the Kmperor William's Frankfort speech that his star once more appears well above the horizon. Boulanger has bfen returned in the elections for the three departments of Somme, Charente Inferieare. and Nord, by aimajority of 101,894. It is not to be supposed, however, that very firm or ardent hopes are placed upon BoulaDger as a leader •gainst the Germans. But, for want of a better man, and for the time being, he represents in a particular manner the more martial spirit of the country. Therefore anything which occars to arcuse that spirit promotes bis interests. Boulanger. so far as he is so, is the hero of the hour, owing to the force of circumstances, and not for aciy particular virtue he is believed to possess. But, if he profi's by the results, no dcubt he will know how to etjoy the situation.

A good deal of significance is BnppoFei by sanguine people to be attached to the fact that, during the late visit of the Emperor William to Russia, the Czar, when he appeared with his illustrious \isitor in public, invariably spoke in the French language, and not in German; not even in Russian, of which William 11. is said to have made a particular study. The fact does seem rather suggestive, notwithstanding the common use of French by educated Russians.

The Medical Congress recently held in Paris has given a warning as to the infections nature of consumptien that should prove of use,tbeugh it may also in some degree show the hopelessness of effectually checking the disease. The microbes, it seems, may be inhaled by people frequenting places in which the patient has spit out, although the spittle has dried. This necessitates very cleanly and careful usage, which, nevertheless, it will prove difficult to enforce. Old milch-cows are also to be avoided, whetLer they continue to give miik or are found in the butchers' shops in the shape of beef, they being r the most part infected with the malady and capable of conveying oto human beings.

The unhappy Queen of Servia is now staying at Versailles— where she is avoiding the service of certain citations necessity as preliminary to the divorce which her worthless husband is trying to obtain. Should these be served and the Qaeen fail to appw, the cue must necessarily go against her. But were she to venture a return to Servia the fate which might overtake her is dountfal. Ramour has it that it would certainly take at least the form of confinement in a mad-house. Her Majesty, a great heiress and a great beauty, i 9 another sad example of the vanity of worldly glories. And what seems the saddest feature of the case is that she has in no way deserved her misfortunes — being in everything a woman worthy of respect and sympathy. Her royal spouse, on theothei hand, possesses, th»y say, a very different character.