The rumour is very strong that M. Waldeck-Rousseau intends to
resign. It is said that he greatly dislikes office, that he only accepted it to preserve the Republic, and that his work being accomplished he will willingly return to the practice of his profession. Indeed, it is alleged that he has already resigned, and has only yielded to strong remonstrances from the President so far as to agree to face the Chamber for a few weeks. We distrust these stories. Power is sweet to those who have exercised it, M. Waldeck-Rousseau has shown in his career no signs of self-distrust, and the same patriotism which induced him to surrender his splendid income from his practice will induce him to continue in his irksome task of ruling. No one is suggested as his successor, and though one or two good men are available—M. Bourgeois for instance— his departure might be found to have taken much bone out of the majority. Frenchmen are Celts with ability for mathe- matics and all which that involves, and like all other Celts their power for action depends upon their possession of a chief who can compel obedience to a disagreeable order. Without Parnell the Irish Home-rulers were a crowd.
