Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-28
SEEN BY AMERICAN EYES
How the Election of the French President
Seemed.
Graphic Description of the Scenes
Yesterday at Versailles-Excit-
ing Times In France.

ing Times In France.
A Paris special cablegram, copyrighted
by the Associated Press and sent last
night. and signed by Emily Crawford, says:
Nothing more unlike an American cleo
ton could we'll be imagined than the French
presidential election which today made M
Casimir-Perier president Of the French re-
public.
M. Casimir-Perier today had AL out Of
So3. There were SI7 members present, but
"a abstained from voting. The palace OF
Versailles was full Of hustle this morning.
Upholsterers. glaciers and foor-polishers
were hard at work making ready the COM
mittee rooms the gallery Of the tombs.
the speakers rooms. the future presidents
rooms. in the former suite of the Queen OF
France. and the congress hall. There was
general furnishing up of the palace. One
hundred and elghty-one arm chairs Rad to
be made ready. seats had to be mended.
curtains hung, draperies to be nailed to
the walls ana paintings to be busted
Ticket-holders were admittvu % the gal
leries early in the morning. The members
OF the press were the nrst to arrive. and
they missed the sight at the ST. Lazare
terminus which the start of the parliament
airy train Afforded Troops strongly guard
posted at different parts OF the general hall,
while uneasy. sharp-eyed detectives prCwled
about among the crowds OF holiday-makers
who had taken railway tickets to see what
sights the pubic places OF Versailles might
aIord.
The public wanted above all to get into
the parliamentary train, by which, as II
turned out, not many legislators travelled,
they preferring to start from the Quieter
Mont Parnasse terminus, at the south side
of Paris. which was also held by troops
and police brigades
The ladies present included the wives,
daughters, nieces, cousins and personal
friends OF the members of congress. They
had no time to buy mourning for Carnot
or prepare special toilets for the presiden-
tial election The reputation Of Partisan
women Tor elegance was unworthily MAIN
tanned. yet numerous were the leaders Of
fashion.
Two special trains Of great length were
prepared toward noon; another train of
salon cars awaited the ministers, and poor
Carnots state train was ready in the event
Of the future president preferring to re-
turn to Paris by railroad. The last time
II was. used was to bring back Carnot's re-
mains from Lyons. 1t is customary for the
newly elected president to drive back from
versailles IN q private eQuipage escorted by
cuirassiers.
Against Casimir-Perier.
While we waited at the st. Lazare sta
ton q asty-printed leafiet was distributed
duplicating the deputies and senators in
the name Of humanity not to vote for NJ.
Casimir-Perier. but to league against bloat-
ed capitalists. 1t was written by crank.
l saw many cranky old men about, and an
old lady, who was turned out swept about
proclaiming that the seventh seal was open
and that the walls of wrath In the form Of
anarchism were being poured on the world
Tor It's sins. Science. divorced from relig-
m n he no
The special trains followed at five minute
Intervals the ministers starting first and
the diplomatic corps last They went in al
most no time to Versailles, which, near the
palace. looked like a French town where a
fair Is going on, or Chantilly on derby race
day.
The crowds were immense. When they
found none Of the expected sights they
amused themselves by listening to wander
Ing musicians. going into photographers
booths. rifle galleries or restaurants, where
prices were suddenly raised and the wines
greatly watered. The policemen went about
ordering the sightseers to move on.
Many Of the parliamentarians took lunch
at the Hotel Des Reservoirs. The members
OF the democratic party preferred the Hotel
De la Chase. The hurry and scurry there
was fearful. The guests ran into the lard
ers and kitchens to help themselves. Their
tongues wagged freely, and the deputies
compared notes across the tables.
Who will you vote for?" / asked Comte
u
For NJ. Casimir-Perier, he replied
why. are you not a radical?'
Yes. but l want to prevent him Dupuy)
from ever being premier. Besides, should
the anarchists want to remove another
president. l prefer them to remove a semi
conservative"
The entrance to the congress hall Is in
the south wing OF the palace by an or
dinary-looking street door. More soldiers
were there. and soldiers lay hidden in the
porter's lodge and filled the improvised
guard room.
The police thronged the passages to the
telegraph office In the palace. No one who
had not q special pass or a conrressman,s
medal was admitted
As l went upstairs to the congress hall
looked down on the wide court yard AMI
counted forty furniture vans in it, They
had brought from Paris all the furniture
required by the congress. which had also
sent to Versailles an official staff of 2,sO
persons. including attendants ushers mes
sengers. secretaries registrars and what
not.
Before the Vote.
The galleries were then filled. but the
body OF the hall was empty. At o'clock
there was a full muster Of the amba ssa-
doris and other members of the diplomatic
corps. I fell into conversation with the
members Of a congressman's family in the
speakers tribunal, and was told that NJ.
Rrisson was nowhere. NJ. Casmir-Perier.
1t was added. was the favorite. The royal.
lists intended to vote for Gen. Fevrier, while
all the senate would vote for NJ Casim,r-
Perier since NJ. Lacour had withdrawn His
withdrawal. II was said. was due to the
fact that the lady he lives with Is not pre-
sentable
NJ Casimir-Perier. 1t was further said
would be a better president than a prime
minister. He had great fortune was
honest and honorable; not an India rubber
character, and was we'll bred. 1t would he
an advantage to France to have him at the
Elysee, where much of the initiatory char
acter was not expected, but where he nigh.
exercise salutary influence in frownIng
down such men as Rouvier, Roche and
Reinach. 1t was pity he brought NJ
Raynal into his cabinet. He meant to be
loyal to the republic.
His wife. who is a good woman, is also
wealthy In her own right, and is a cousin
Of her husband. His late father was OF
the salt of the earth. NJ. Casimir- Perier
is brave. This Is desirable quality in
dynamiting times. He was under fire in
several engagements in 1870, and won By
military pluck the cross of the Legion Of
Honor when he was twenty-five years old
Since the assassination of NJ Carnot his
ambition has greatly cooled. He felt that
he would make great sacrifice in becom-
ing president. Could he but get In touch
with the democracy and conquer his pride