Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-12-02
,GAMBETTA'S FRIEND.
Arrival in San Francisco
of Eugene Spuller.
THE PRIMARY SCHOOL LAW.
Frances Finances, Politics and
Relations to European
Nations.

There was a special car attached to
che Central Pacific overland train which
arrived yesterday morning, and it was a
stout, bluff gentleman of about SO years
of age. gray about the beard and hair,
of ample circumference about the waist,
keen as to the eyes, rich as to the voice
and speaking French volubly to the
party of compatriots who went across
the bay to m eet him. The arrival was
Engene Spuller, French statesman and
journalist, who came to this country as
one of the representatives of France, at
the ina uguration of Bartholdi's statue of
Liberty, and who visits this city as the
westermost point of his tour OF the
United States. Before repeating the
conversation which took place between
NJ. Spuller and q Chronicle reporter, it
vill add, perhaps, to the readers inter-
est ia the visitor if a few facts OF the ia.
nous French politicians life are pre-
sented.
CAREER OF SPULLER.
Eugene Spuller was horn at Leurre
dCote Dor, On December s, 1885. He
pursued his studies at the Lyceum and
the Faculty of Laws at Dijon, and
became q membor of the Paris bar in
1852. After having been employed in
several political cases he abandoned the
legal profession for that of political
Journalist. At the general election of
1853 he supported the candidature of
Emile Olivier, against that of M. Var
min for the Legislature, and attached
himself to Gambetta, thus beginning
Friendship which lasted all through the
life of the meridional patriot. After
editing and contributing to number of
lesser papers, Spuller. in 1868 became
one of the founders of the Revue
Poltique. His duties on that journal,
his contributions to the Encyclopedia
Gcnerale and vehement opposition to
the plebiscite of May. 1870, brought mis-
life up to September of the same year,
during which troubled time he became
the inseperable companion, the conf
Dental adviser and the alter ego of Gam
beta. With him he escaped from belea
cured Paris in balloon, and when the
storm was over became, in November,
1871, editor in chief of La Republique
Eramcaise. He resigned that post in
1876. when he was elected Deputy for
the Third ACCOMPLISHMENT of Paris.
When the parliamentary coup d'etat
vas struck on May l6. 1877, Spuller
drew up the manifesto, which the 1863
Republican Deputies addressed to the
people. On October l4th of the same
wear, he was reelected from Paris. and
on February 6, 1880, he was elected
President Of the Advance Left. M.
Spuller is still in Parliament, having
been elected Deputy from the Cote Dor
at the October elections of last year.
What has been said of M. Spuller's rec
ord and affiliations, will sufficiently in
dictate his political creed, while his
Writings-other than political-havf
shown a religio... philosophical turn Of
mind, his bulkier works being devoted
to sharply analytic history of the
Jesuiies. When M. Spuller speaks he
puts very impressive amount of empha-
ais and energy into what he says, which
added to journalists ability of express
ing himself clearly, makes a talk with
him conversational treat.
FINANCES OF FRANCE.
When asked why M. De Freycinet
had not accepted yesterdays's adverse
vote in the Chamber of Deputies as a
defeat of the Government, the answer
came instantly:
-s'Because De Freycinet is too wise to
accept the outcome of departmental
difficulty as at all affecting the Ministry.
Review the circumstances, sir. M. Rou-
wier blamed the government for not hav-
ing acceded at first to the proposed re-
dect of the Budget, and the Depu les,
by a vote of All to 80. approved of the
reduction of 600, 900 francs on the credit
of the Finance Committee, which reduc-
tion NJ. Sadi Carnot, the Minister of Fl.
nance, refused to agree to. Eh, well,
what does all this mean? Simply that
the Deputies thought differently from
certain members of the Cabinet on ques.
lions of expenditure; but surely the
Premier would have been unwise had he
accepted these expressions of opinion as
being attacks on the Ministry. De
Freycinet is too subtle man to make
the mistake of magnifying that which
should be minimized or of assn ming a
position as Quixotic politician. l."
'Tt will be an easy matter here to
pass from this question to one concerning
the financial condition of France"
's'I take it as being asked" said M.
iSpuller, quickly, "and reply unhesita-
tingty that the financial condition of my
country is good. 1t is true that France
,gor years has staggered under the cruel
blows of the German legions; that her
foreign policy has been an expensive one.
aud that there is great trade depression
all over Europe. All these things are
ftrue, but France is in no financial crisis.
The returns from the imposts have been
,s1lt down. one or two measures having
turned out expensive; our military equip.
ment has cost money, but France does
not find herself embarrassed. The Dep
uties, as you have read me, have just
shown their appreciation of the necessi.
ty for retrenching and keeping tight
hand on the expenditures, but certainly,
sir, when I tell you that twenty times
nore than enough was subscribed to the
Government loan of last April, you can
mot call France financially embarrassed.
1 mean just what say" he continued,
emphatically, as he saw the reporter
snakipg note on the margin of news
paper. "Laat April the Government
'sailed for loan of 600. .000, 900 francs,
and 1, 500, 600, 900 francs were offered by
would-be creditors of the government"
BoULANeER AND THE ARMY.
"You said something just now of an
expensive military equipment, is it true