Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1912 — ORLEANS LOSES HOPE [ARTICLE]

ORLEANS LOSES HOPE

“Pretender” Changes Plans in Attempt to Form Monarchy. Royalist Leader Attempts to Reconcile Few Warring Followers—Populace Care Nothing for Restoration of Throne.

Paris. —The royalists, who are always fervent in France, although their political influence ceased to be important long-ago, were surprised and rather dismayed to receive from the Duke of Orleans an order that he will have no direct representative in France hereafter. The Duke of Orleans, the royalist pretender to the French throne, of course, who is an exile in England, writes an open letter in which he expressly says’ that any one assuming to be his personal representative will do so without authority. In this way the duke hopes to end the discord which began several months ago after he changed his representative here. On the one side is the newspaper known as Action Francaise, of which Leon Daudet is head; on the other are individuals who oppose the militant methods of this newspaper. ■ In his letter the Duke of Orleans says he has undertaken to reorganise his followers in an effort to decentralize the royalist movement, as he has always been opposed tb centralization. The political bureau is suppressed, but delegates will be appointed who, by means of committees, will carry on the royalist campaign. As a matter of fact the cause of the Orleanists, the most important branch of royalism in France, has shrunk to a mere shadow. Tourists, particularly Americans, visiting France, are prone to discuss the possibility of the monarchy some day replacing the present republic. But these spring more from romantic speculation than from any knowledge of the situation. The French republic was never stronger, more solidly placed on its foundations than at this moment The royalists proclaim themselves openly tn the senate and chamber of deputies, but their number is insignificant; they fall to hold even the balance of power when the other parties are closely divided. Among the working classes no desire for the restoration of the monarchy is apparent The last Strong-

of those who still retain loyalty to a king of France is found among the aristocracy, but even there the sentiment is not nearly as strong as it was a decade or even five years ago. The Catholic church has always been royalist in its tendencies, but since the separation of church and state this influence is not as far-reaching as it was.

Many officers in the French army and' perhaps the majority of those holding highest rank In the navy belong to the old nobility or aristocracy, but the new generation is quickly crowding these representatives of the ancient life of France into the background. In spite of the Socialists* efforts to decry militarism, the army is Intensely loyal' to the republic. In a word, the old ghost, the restoration of the monarchy, seems to be laid definitely. Therefore, the letter of the Duke of Orleans, completely changing his past plans, awakens Interest Only among his few followers.