The record-union., 1894-06-25

him with profound sorrow and indigna-
ton that so valuable man as Carnot
could be stricken down by the hand OF
an assassin.
Representative Hit of Illinois, who
was Charge d. Affaires during the event
full years between 1874 to 1881, and in the
last Congress was Chairman of the For
eign Affairs Committee of the House,
spoke of the dead President as man of
pure life and unsullied character and
reputation No man in France, in his
opinion, was held in higher esteem or
more thoroughly deserved the confidence
and love of the people than he. When
Mr.. Hit first became acquainted with
him he was member of the Assembly
and was regarded as entirely safe and
conservative on all important national
questions. He steadfastly grew in the
estimation of the people, who recognized
in him the qualities France needed in a
leader
Senator Sherman, ex-Chairman of the
Committee on Foreign Relations, was
visibly affected on hearing the news of
Carnots death, and exclaimed: This is
crime against civilization. I regard
Carnot as one of the strongest men
France has had in years. He could al
ways be trusted to do the sensible thing
on any occasion. He was thoroughly
republican in his ideas, and had the
greatest respect and admiration for Amer
lea and Americans" Senator Sherman
met him in Paris four years ago, and re-
90 Qdf no ryiu ~ no rf IN
of July in commemoration of Independ-
ence Day. On this occasion President
Carnot spoke of America as the model
republic of the world, and bespoke for
her glorious future. Senator Sherman
was well impressed with the earnest and
unostentatious manner of the French
President, and said he considered him
one Of the greatest, if not one of the most
brilliant, men France has ever known.
MARIE FRANCOIS SADI CARNOT.
Sketch of the Life of the Late PresI-
dent of France.
Marie Francois Sadi Carnot, President
of the Republic of France, was born in
Limoges, August II, 1887. Grandson of
Lazare Nicolas Carnot, Minister of War
from 1893 to 1897 under First Republic, and
whose genius raised and maintained the
army that repelled the allied enemies of
the republic. His son, Lazare Hippolyte,
inherited the instincts of republicanism
and was Deputy from 1889 to 1913 and
voted with the Extreme Left. Under the
Second Republic he was Minister of
Education. From 1875 he was a Left
Senator. His son, the assassinated Presi-
dent, was educated an engineer. Entered
the Polytechnique 1857; passed fifth in
his class; led the class in the Ecole des
Points ct Chaussees and completed his
course in 1868. Became Assistant Secre-
tary to the Council for Roads and Bridges
appointed Engineer at Annecy, 1864; in
troduced many improvements in rail-
road and bridge construction, and
planned the great bridge over the Rhone
at Collonges, introducing valuable
tubular foundation system of his inven-
ton.
January 10th, 1871, he became Prefect of
the Department of Seine -lnterieure. AT
Havre he organized the national defense
in Normandy, being nominated Commits
sary-extraordinary for three depart
ments. February Sth he was elected by
A. 900 votes Representative of Cote dor
In the National Assembly, and took his
seat with the Left and was chosen Secre-
tary of the Republican Left. and voted
for all measures for definitive establish
ment of the republic.
He served on many important commit
tees on public works and industry. He
advocated the bill relating to explosives.
February 10th, 1876 he was elected, by a
large majority over the combined vote of
two opponents, Deputy in the second
cir-conscription of the ACCOMPLISHMENT of
Beaune, chosen Secretary OF the new
ha har of
Committee. Reelected October II, 1877,
over the official candidate, he took active
part in all public works measures, was
appointed again to the Budget Committee.
and in 1873 was chosen to report the
Budget of Public Works. August 18th
he was appointed Under Secretary of the
Ministry of Public Works.
In the Ferry Cabinet he was at the head
of the Ministry of Public Works, and
prosecuted many public works while
Secretary of State. In 1882 ne was Min
lister of Finance. In 1885 he was called by
De Freycinet again into the Cabinet and
held in succession the portfolio of Pub
lie Works and of Finance. He favored
allowing the Panama Canal Company to
issue lottery bonds, and was defeated.
|. He refused to refund 10000 francs of
stamp duties that Dreyfuss, the banker,
claimed were illegally exacted, and won
much credit by his firmness. He retired
in 1856 from the Cabinet on that issue.
October 4, 1885, he was again elected
Deputy of Cote dor. His unquestioned
integrity and professional accomplish
ments and his refusal to act as a political
leader won him high regard among the
people.
When Grevy retired from the Presi-
dency, and Ferry and Freycinet, the
great orators, were candidates for the
succession, Carnot had 6y votes of Repub-
lican Senator'S on first trial on Decem-
Der 3, 1887. Freycinets supporters seeing
Ferry's chances gone, went over to Car
not. When Congress met in the after
noon Carnot received on the first ballot
BOB votes. Freycinet and Ferry then
withdrew in favcr of Carnot, and he was
elected on the second ballot by GIG against
1856 for General Saussier, the Conserva-
tive. He has ever since been President of
the republic.
His wife is daughter of Dupont White,
who translated the works of John Stuart
Mill into French. President Carnot him
self, in 1915, had translated NlilPS essay
on the "The Revolution of 1913 and IT'S
Detractors." The term of the President
Of France is seven years, and Carnot's
term, therefore, would have expired De-
cember next.
During his term the republic was
shaken by many political and financial
scandals, and the struggles of monarch
lists and the remains of royal houses and
factions to overturn the republic and re-
establish an aristocratic government.
President Carnot through it all main
tanned his high office aud the esteem of
thespeople, and though his Cabinets rose
and fell many times, his own position not
infrequently being imperiled, he SO adj
ministeIed affairs, was so mistaken In
his devotion to the republic, his integrity
was so unblemished, his purity OF life
and purpose so admired, that he became
firmly enthroned in the affections of the
French people. who had perfect conf
dence in him.