The prospect of the elections in France has prompted the
Paris correspondent of the Times to summarise the political situation in a long despatch printed in Tuesday's issue. The main conclusion of his decidedly optimistic outlook is that the stability of the Republic is assured for a long while to come. • At the same time, he admits possibilities of danger in the fact that M. Waldeck-Rousseau has come to be regarded as a personification or symbol of the Republic, and that the attacks of the Opposition are consequently concentrated upon him. In short, "April's elections will constitute plebiscitary elections, and in reality it will be for or against M. Waldeck. Rousseau that the votes will be cast." The ingenious corre- spondent hastens to reassure us, however, that while the chances of M. Waldeck-Rousseau's overthrow are less than negligible, his victory is not likely to be fraught with any peril to the State. He is "perhaps ambitious," but he harbours no thoughts of Caesarism, no dreams of a conspiracy or coup de force, and it is to be anticipated that he will remain no longer in office than is necessary to give the new Chamber a good start. In that Chamber, the correspondent predicts, " Monarchy, under whatever form, will assume the semblance of an historical souvenir seen only through the blue haze of the past." The magnitude of M. Waldeck- Rousseau's services to his country has hardly yet been fully appreciated in this country, but they largely excuse the lyrical ecstasy with which the writer forecasts his triumph at the polls.
