The elections for the Municipality of Paris have ended in
a triumph for the Radicals. Out of the 80 wards into which Paris is divided, 66 at least have returned Radicals, 63 of the candi- dates on M. Gambetta's list in the Republique Fran colas having been successful, while three not on his list are known to be of very extreme opinions. There are only 12 Conservatives in all, and yet the vote was a heavy one. The Councillors, however, though Radical, cannot fairly be described as Red, and they will, it is expected, be moderate in action, as the Government, with the strong garrison at its back and the state of siege still existing, would not hesitate to super- sede the elected body by a Municipal Commission. The late Council contained a majority of Republicans, but they did nothing violent, and established, at a heavy cost no doubt, an equilibrium in the budget of the city. Paris is now as heavily weighted in proportion as Great Britain—that is, it owes nearly ten years of its revenue—and taxation on its present lines can scarcely be pushed further.
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