Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-25
THE DEAD PRESIDENT.
Career of the Youngest Executive of
the French Republic.

NJ. Carnot was born August IL 1887 He
was the grandson of Lazare Nicola Mar
guerite Carnot. who was one Of the most
| radical Of the active spirits of the French
| revolution, member of the national assem-
bly, of 1871 and OF the committee OF public
safety under Robespierre. whose fate he
was saved from sharing only by the mill
tary services he had rendered his country
In gaining the victory over the Prince Of
Coburg at Wattignies in October. 1893. and
especially as minister of war. He was SUBJ
sequently called to the same post by Ma
poleon after the latters return from Elba
though he remained a staunch republican
| throughout. and published several literary
works in advocacy OF his democratic prin-
| ciples
| Carnot, as president Of France, was
younger than any of his predecessors on
| their accession to the office He studied
civil engineering at the Polytechnic School
| of Paris, where he graduated at the head
of his class. in 1863. After serving in the
government council of roads and bridges
he was appointed to a post as engineer in
upper Savoy, where he remained until after
the collapse of the empire, in 1870. In jan
uary, 1871, he was made project Of the de-
partment OF the Seine inferieur, and effec-
/ lively organized the defense of that and
| the two adjoining departments of the Fuse
and Calvados. In the following month he
was elected to assembly from the depart
Ineut Oh SOte u oT. his repuD-
licanism placed him with the more advanced
wing of his party, and he was presently
elected secretary of the republican left. In
| 1876, when the assembly was divided into
two branches, he was returned deputy
| from Beaune. and became one OF the Sec
| retaries of the chamber.
NJ. Sadi Carnot was frequently called up
on to serve on the budget committee of
which he was chairman in 1883. His profess
| sional training and experience as engineer
/ having rendered him an authority on the
subject of public works, he was named an
under secretary of that department IN De-
cember, 1878, and on the accession of Ferry
| in 1880, he was given the minister's port
folio. He retired with his chief on the ac-
ceSSion of Gambetta, in 1881, and returned
to his post under Brisson, in 1885. In lss6
the latter gave way to Freycinet. and Car
not was made minister OF finance. AS
such he took stand in favor of liberal
public works; Freycinet stood by him in
his opposition TO the reductions demanded
by the budget committee. and the commit
tee, being supported by the chamber, under
the lead Of Clemenceau, the ministry re-
signed.
question at issue was one of economy and
the minister of finance refused to conform
to large reductions in expenditures de-
manded by the budget committee. Clemcn-
ceau then overthrow Frcycinet on a vote
to sustain CARROTS estimates.
There was great enthusiasm in Paris
when, on the evening of December g. lSs1
Marie Francois Sadi Carnot was elected
president OF France to succeed Grevy on the
I second ballot over NJ. Jules Ferry at the
parliament at Versailles. Ferry and De
treycinet withdrew in his favor after the
first ballot, when IL became evident thai
neither could command sufficient votes 10
place him in the Elysec palace and thus the
election OF Sadi Carnot, which already was
indicated as probable, was made certain by
JlG ballots IN h'~ '~s.'r. Az thu factians ~