24 SEPTEMBER 1892, Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK

THE French have been holding what they are pleased to consider the centenary of the Republic, the First Republic having been proclaimed on September 22nd, 1792. There was a grand fete on Thursday in Paris, marked by the usual shows, by the presence of unusual crowds, and by speeches at the Pantheon from M. Carnot, and many other dignitaries. The one delivered by M. Floquet is considered the most eloquent, its drift being that, while the century of effort has ended in establishing " the representative regime of equality secured by universal suffrage," the Republic has still to perform a task, perhaps more difficult than any which fell to its predecessors. It has to grapple with the social question, so that "misery shall not increase while wealth is always augmenting." Social justice must prepare the reign of fraternity. The statement of the Republic's immediate work is probably correct, though a little inconsistent with the devotion of half the spare resources of France to a project of vengeance; but it does not help on the world much. France, and, indeed, Europe, accepts M. Floquet's central idea, but seeks vainly for some plan by which it may be realised without the surrender of liberty to the tyranny of the community. One plan for raising the minimum of wages without diminishing production would do more to realise the social ideal than any number of eloquent discourses. Equality is not equivalent to well-being, else were private soldiers, convicts, and hospital patients the happiest of mankind.