The morning call., 1893-10-11
TWO FAMOUS MEN.

Two illus,rious Frenchmen who will
figure in history are now lying on their
deathbed. They are M. de Lesseps and
NJ arshal MacMahon. There is a singular
parallelism in their lines. M. de Lesseps
was born in 1906, Marshal MacMahon
three years later. Both came of good
families, whose means and influence en-
abled them to give the young men good
start in life. Young de Lesseps received
the best education Paris could afford !;
young MacMahon graduated at st. Cyr.
For thirty years each prepared for his
lifework, MacMahon as a soldier in the
army of Algeria, De Lesseps dividing his
time between diplomatic service and jour
nalism in Paris. In 1856 they stimuli
taneously drew the worlds attention to
their merts-MacMahon by storming the
Malakoff, in the Crimean war, De LeSseps
by obtaining a frman from the Khedive
for the construction of the Suez canal.
Then, for time. the destinies of the two
men diverged. While De Lesseps was
concentrating his efforts on building bis
canal, MacMahon won the battle of
Magenta for the Emperor Napoleon. and,
by discreetly disclaiming credit for the
victory. obtained the title of Duke. He
showed, however. by his administration in
Africa, that his capacity as an admins
TRAITOR was not equal to his ability as a
soldier. and when De Lesseps opened his
canal in the presence of the sovereigns
and ambassadors of the powers in 1869,
MacMahon was mere department COM
mander.
The outbreak of the Franco o-German war
sides
MacMahon was for war and obtained the
command of the first army. De Lesseps.
wiser. could not approve the war, but
rather than antagoniZe the Court, where
he was popular. he retired TO London.
Upon Mac Mahon deyolved the painful
duty of enduring series of defeats. which
eliminated in the surrender at Sedan. 1t
fell to NJ. de Lesseps to stand by the En-
press in those dark days when her life was
threatened by the Paris mob. and to con-
duct her flight to England. MacMahon,
after term of captivity in Germany. re-
turned to France to command the army
which overthrow the Commune. This was
the greatest exploit of his life, and the one
which best entities him to the gratitude of
his country.
As his reward he was chosen President
of France. when NJ. Theirs resigned, by
vote of $50 out of 1872. His administration
was stormy; he was soldier. not states
man. he resigned before the end of his
term, and has since lived in peaceful and
honorable retirement. 1t was while he
was fighting the Assembly that De Lesseps
worked out in his own mind what b. ex-
pected to prove the great work of his life
the Panama canal. 1t was an enter
prise beycnd his strength, and like many
men who have accomplished important OBJ
jects in defiance of obstacles, he was so
confident of himself that he refused to
take advice from any one. France was
rich; money poured in upon him; the saw
ings OF the frugal French middle class were
showered into his open palm. He began
with high hopes, ample funds and a staff
of emin ent engineers; he ended in total
failure and in a cloud of disgrace. When
funds ran low. he and his enterprise be-
came target for all the blackmailers in
the press and the Chambe They sucked
his lifeblood, and when the inevitable in.
vestigation came, he was found guilty on
the broad, uDQuestionable principle that
the briber is as bad as the bribed. He was
tried, convicted and sentenced; nothing
saved him from ending his days in Jail
except the feeling that France could not
afford to place one of the most ilustrious
Frenchmen on the same plane as horse
thief.
In few days both octocenar will
have passed away, leaving history to care
for their fame. and to deal out blame and
praise where they are deserved.