M. Tirard's Ministry, the fifteenth in eleven years, resigned on
Friday week, ostensibly because the Senate insisted on a prohibitory duty against Turkish raisins, really because all strength had gone out of it with M. Constans' resignation. The President sent immediately for M. de Freycinet, who speedily formed a Cabinet, with himself as Premier, M. Con- stalls as Minister of the Interior, M. Rouvier as Minister of Finance, M. Fallieres as Minister of Justice, M. Bourgeois as Minister of Education, M. Ribot as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other less important personages. The new Ministry includes men of every shade of opinion in the Republican Party, and hopes to unite all groups ; but its general tone is moderate, and its programme, read in the Chamber on Tuesday, Liberal-Protectionist. It will be free of treaties on January 1st, 1892, and will then " ask for more effective protection of national and agricultural industry." It will also propose measures of poor-relief, for encouraging thrift, and for mutual help, and make of the social question a preoccupation. It will maintain the anti-clerical laws without ruffling susceptibilities, will make France respected abroad, and will, above all things, give her a firm Government which will accept a leadership in the Chamber. The Deputies expressed confidence in these promises by a vote of 318 to 78 ; but it will be observed that on the burning question of the Budget nothing was said. We should not wonder at all if M. Ronvier's pro- posed loan of 228,000,000 were raised to £40,000,000, and if the Government, extinguishing half the Floating Debt with the former sum, met deficits till 1892 with the balance. It would be insane finance, but taxation would be avoided.
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