The Portland daily press., 1894-07-02
FRANCES NEW PRESIDENT.
Career of the Comparatively Young Man
Who is Now the Head of the state.

Who is Now the Head of the state.
The election of NJ Casimir- Perier brings
| to the Presidency of France man who
represents in large measure the inf1u-
ences and traditions which were conspicu-
| GUS in his predecessors. AS Carnot did,
he comes from family which has been
conspicuous for several gene1 ations in the
1 history of France The Perier family
was related closely to the Duke d'Au-
diffret-P asquier, who was eminent I'M
der Napoleon ]. The grandfather of the
new Preidsent was a President of Coun-
Gil under the bourgeois King. Louis
treatment of nine doctors, who dosed
| him for three diseases from which he
had never suffered. He was in bed for
three weeks while the doctors treated
him for cholera. For three weeks after
| this he was treated for virulent brain
| fever and ultimately for gastric fever
| After his death it was discovered that
| he had suffered from none of thse mala-
| dies, and had taken to his bed from the
results of over-exertion. His vitality
was further weakened and ultimately ex-
| tinguis he'd by the ministrations of his
doctors
The father of Jean Casimir-Perier was
the Oldest son of the Minister of Louis
Philippe, and entered the diplomatic
service when young man. When a
member Of the legislature he protested
1rr no. i JoA-
prisoned for several days. On his release
he retired from public life. but was
made Minister of the Repub by
Theirs in 1871. He resigned from the
| position after a few months, but was
recalled. to the office two years later. He
| accepted the appointment, but went out
with the Theirs administration a week
later.
Jean Paul Pierre Casimir-Perier. the
new President of France, was born at
Paris on Nov.S, 1S47. He studied there,
and received degree at the Sorbonne
in literature and history. During the
French-Prussian war he belonged to
the Mobiles d. Aube, the department his
father had represented at the outset of
his public career. The regiment was
summoned to the capital, and for his
personal bravery young Casimir-Perier
was mentioned in the political despatch
es, and decorated with the button of the
Legion of Honor
He was from October, 1871, until Feb
ruary, 1872, his fathers secretary in the
Ministry OF the Interior. In order to
open political career for his son, the
older Casimir-Perier resigned his posi-
ton IN 1874 and presented his son as
candidate to the electors of Neugent-
sur-Selne. The young man, strong in
that region through the influence of his
family. was elected to the chamber of
Deputies by 1,907 out of the 2,017 votes
cast.
Previous TO this time he had devoted
some attention to his fathers mining in
terests. but had acquired no political
experience beyond what his duties as his
father secretary had given him.
In the same year, 1874. he conducted
an active political campaign in his de-
partment against M. Argence, the Bona
partist candidate, and in favor of Gen.
Saussier. the Republican nominee. At
the general elections in 1871 for the new
Chamber of Deputies in the arrondisse-
ment of Nougent-sur-Seine he was
candidate with strong profession of
republican doctrines, and was elected
by an overwhelming majority. He
voted always with the majority formed
by the Left Centre and the Republican
Left which refused vote of confidence
to the Ministry of Broglie. The union
between the two parties was brought
a bout through the efforts of Casmir-
Perier. At the elections which followed
the dissolution of the Chamber CAST
mir-Perier was returned with 6,515
votes, against the 8, 400 obtained by the
Bonapartist candidate.
During his first year in the Chamber
OF Deputies he had been appointed IN
der Secretary in the department of Pub
lie Instruction of which M. Bardeaux was
Minister. He remained in this position
until 1877. In 1879 he passed from the
Left Centre to the Repu blican Left, and
publican Union. In February, 1888, af-
ter having been again elected the year
before, he resigned his seat when the
Chamber passed the law excluding from
Office all .memb ers of former reigning
families from public office, on tn ground
that it was impossible for him to recon-
Gle his political sentiments with his
family duty. This was an act which
would not fail to make its impression on
the French people, and in short time
he allowed himself to be persuaded to
become a candidate again.
He was elected. and in October, 1883,
became Under Secretary of War in the
Ferry Ministry. He had never before
held position of such Importance, and
when he resigned it as a protest against
the agitation looking to the expulsion
of the Orleans princes it aroused tenn
porary distrust in his loyalty to the re-
public despite the fact that his political
career had been conservatively republic
can throughout.
Several years later the Royalists pre-
sumed on this action, and offered CAST
mir-Perier an exalted position in return
for his allegiance to their party. But
their proposal was Indignantly rejected
by him, with the answer that he would
rather be a citizen in a republic than
duke in kingdom. In 1890 he became
Vice President of the Chamber, and
has been three times elected to that
position. In November last he became
Prime Minister, and, failing vote of
confidence several weeks later, his Min
stry was overthrown, and tine result is
supposed to have been brought about
by his own efforts to further his pros
poets { S candidate for the Presidency.