National Republican., 1883-02-27
GAMBETTA's SUCCESSOR.
A Sketch OF CIemenccau, the Coming Man
OF Frnncc-IIis Travels I'm this Country.

OF Frnnce-IIis Travels I'm this Country.
NJ l.. r. IN he Neto York Sun.
Now that Gambetta is gone, Clomenceau is
speedily coming to the front as the strongest
man in the republican party. He is in many
ways the opposite Of the ex-dictator Gam
betta was always in favor of Capitalization.
To such o policy Clemenccau is bitterly op-
posed believing that il will never do for one
man, who has control of the ministry of the
interior and telegraph wires, to run the whole
of France according to his own sweet will.
Gambetta was then the apostle ofopportunism;
Clemcnceau ofunyielding radicalism. But, in
spite OF these and many more marked distitinC-
tions, DR. Clemenccau is probably the only
man who will be able to slip Into Gambetas
shoes. Clemenceau was born in 1871 in
la Vendcc. the land of eaTncstncss For
six generations the chiefs of his family
had been physicians, and his father
praoticed medicine at Names. One fine
morning, when young Clemenceau was
just II years old, the prison van stopped at
his fathers door, and without one word of
explanation the doctor was conveyed TO Mar
scilles on his way to Algeria. However, on
the interference of the project of Nantes, the
order of Punishment was revoked, and the
doctor returned TO his home, but not before
his daughter had become insane from grief.
TO complete his medical studies lie was the
house surgeon ut the Salpetriere hospital,
and In 1865 he was admitted TO the degree
Of doctor of medicine. During the period
of his medical studies his ideas ON politics,
religion, and science had been formed,
and he became a full flcdged republican,
writing for lie Trdudii, lie Martin, La
Jeune France, and such other Quarter Latin
journals as the imperial caprice allowed to
exist from time to time. In 1862 he sum-
moned the students TO 90 TO the Place dc Ia
Bastille in body to celebrate the anniyer-
sary of Feb. 2S, 1SiS. The natural conse-
quence of this freak was that he was arrested
and sentenced to two months imprisonment.
characteristic anecdote Is told of HIM in
relation to this incident. 1t is the rule of the
Mazas prison that every newcomer must take
n bath Immediately on entering the door.
When Clemenceau was deposited at the prison
door he had just eaten hearty meal, and he
knew, as medical student, that bathing with
full stomach was dangerous. The anthori-
ties, however insisted upon the bath form.
ality, and the matter was finally compromised
by his undressing, dipping his toes in the
water, and then dressing again, just as If he
had taken bath. o..
With hispertinacious disposition, DIR. Glenn
enccau soon realized the fact that If he were
to remain in France he would be likely to
spend most Of his life in prison. He accord
ingly resolved to travel, and started for the
United States. Here he acquired the English
language, and also studied our political and
social institutions so carefully that on his re-
turn TO Paris he was able to write very fair
New York letters for lie Temps without stir
ring from the office. After some years spent
in America the supplies of money from home
We're, for some reason, stopped, and be became
a professor of French in school at Greenwich,
Conn In 1869 he returned to Paris, taking
NNftf Ia Yth txsifn nnl nm in Inn tli-
ness as a doctor at Montmartre. After he had
been here for n short time DIR. Clemenceau
summed up his impressions of America in u
letter, saying: 81 have remarked two things
the Americans have no general ideas and no
good coffee"
Clemenceau acquired so great popularity
at Montmartre that when the war broke out
in 1870 he was made mayor Of the district.
AS thousands of refugees from the outlying
districts were constantly coming in, IL re-
quired no ordinary administrative ability to
supply them with food and lodging and settle
their differences and petty quarrels. In 1871
he was elected member of the national as
sembly, and voted against the preliminares
of peace. Shortly afterward he appeared in
new role. The Commandant Noel dc Pous-
sargues fatty contradicted DIR. Clemenceau
in court. A hostile meeting was arranged,
and the commandant limped of the ground
with ball in his leg. Clemenceau tried to
bring about cOnciliation between the COM
mune and the assembly at Versailles, bat,
failing, he resigned his offices both as mayor
and deputy. Gambetta, who had by that
time learned to appreciate the abili-
ties Of the young doctor, offered him
the prefecture of Lyons the second pre-
lecture in France. But two days afterward
Gambetta resigned the dictatorship, and Glenn
enceau retired into private life. In 1876 the
doctor resolved once more to go into politics,
and he was elected as an adherent of the ex-
treme left to represent the eighteenth arron-
dissement of Paris, for which he still sits.
Clemenceau is a man of quiet, gentlemanly
manners, with nothing of the denagogue
about him. Ho lives in modest second floor
in the Rue Montague with his wife and three
children. His tastes arc exceedingly simple.
He drinks nothing at his meals except water,
and his only exccsses are coffee and tobacco.
As may be imagined his time is pretty well
occupied. His afternoons are spent in the
chambers, and at 8 o'clock he goes to the
editorial office of his newspaper, La Justice,
where he remains until IL. A cigar never
leaves his mouth.