PARTICULARISM IN FRANCE.
[To nis RPITOR OF TEE " EPZCSATOR.1
SIR,—As a French student of history and politics, allow me to lodge a strong protest against the sweeping statement con- tained in your last issue under the heading, "The Possible Unification of Germany." The writer of the article assumes that Federalism is fast dying out in Europe. As a typical instance he takes France. Now for those who have not been in direct contact with French local life, this view seems to be taken as a matter of course. But for the edification of those who want a more thoroughgoing apereu of French life let me quote a few facts which go to show that the movement set on foot in order to fight the .evils arising from the despotic " centralisation" is slowly but steadily spreading among us.
I need only refer to : Becratement regional,—i.e., the local recruiting of our soldiers; (2) the diseatablishment of the churches, which breaks up the entente of French central despotism, with Papal supremacy; (3) the growing importance assumed, if not acknowledged, of our Commits generaux ; (4) the cry for the doing away with Sous-prifets, who are the local agents of the Ministers de l'Interieur ; (5) the protests of the provincial Universities against the privileges lavished on the University of Paris in connexion with the training of secondary-school teachers (boursiers d'agr4ation), ecc.; (6) the revolt of the Southern wine-growers; (7) the separatist feeling of Brittany. I do not intend to go thoroughly into the question; but let me remind you that the Girondins were strong supporters of Federalism, and that if the Revolution of 1789 has gone a long way in the simplifying and unifying of France, its most lasting results were chiefly economical ; but it has not in the least impaired the strong local feelings of our old provinces.—I am, Sir, &c., GODEPROY GALITZ EN STEIN,
Licencie es-Lettres, Univ. of Paris. 13 Roebuck Road, Rochester, Kent.
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