St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-06-25
FRANCE Is MouRNINa.

Olaclal Capacity Out never SOI tutte.
FRANCE Is MOURNING.
NJ. Sadi Carnot, president OF the re-
public Of France. is dead. stricken down
by the hand OF an assassin.
Last night. as he was en- route for the
theater. an Italian named Santo leaped
to the door OF his carriage aud plunged
dagger into his heart. What purpose
the murderer may have had does not
appear, but all the circumstances indi-
cate that he was member OF the band
of anarchists that has torso long terror
lied the French capital. and that no
deeper motive prompted the deed than
those that LED to the bomD-tiIrowipR in
the chamber of deputies and in the
cafes frequeuted by pablo men -awan-
ton sririr of lawtessness and desire
for the extinguishmento of all civil order
and government.
NJ. Carnot was elected president Of
the French republic nearly seven years
ago to succeed NJ. Grevy. The septen-
NAL election will take place in Novem-
Der next. and SO great was NJ. CARROTS
popularity that little opposition to his
reelection had been manifested. NJ.
Ddpuy, president of the chamber of
deputies, was regarded as his only con-
testant, and he had already declared
that he wouid not be a candidate If
Carnot desired reelection. Another
term in an office whose duties he had
discharged with such rare fidelity and
ability was within his grasp. But a
ruthless hand, lmpelied by an insane
frenzy, has cut short a career that gave
promise of future briiliancy, and that
had already been fruitful of gDod results
to his country.
NJ. CarBot was comparatively young
man. His first experience in public
affairs was during the empire of Ma
poieon ILL, when he occupied seat in
the corps legislatif for a short time.
After the downfall of the monarchy he
allied himself with the moderate Reppb-
licans. He repudiated the leadership
Of Gambetta and De Cassagnac, and by
his elcquence and consistent defense Of
repubiicanism soon won his way to
public favor. After President Greyy's
disgrace. due to the dishonesty of his
son-in-law, the country Instiuctiveiy
turned to the young and brilliant adyo-
cate. He was chosen to the high Office
without opposition save from the Cieri-
cal party. which made fruitless attempt
to accomplish his defeat because of his
marriage to a divorced woman. But
since her husband g elevation Madame
Carnot has won her way to the affections
of the entire nation, for she is woman
of rare beauty and possessed of many
graces of MUD and manner.
The shock this tragedy will occasion
throughout the world will be equal to
that which would have been caused by
the murder of the sovereign Of either
of the other great powers Of Europe.
For NJ. Carnot was in effect sovereign.
His powers were little less absolute
than those of the emperor of Russia,
while greater than those OF the queen
of Great Britain. Yet he exercised
those powers with such rare discretion
that he never appeared despotics and
the people gave ready acquiescence
to his policies. His was constitutional
government and constitutionaily admin
istered, but there is much latitude of
the element of despotism in the laws of
France.
That the assassin will suffer speedy
punishment for his crime does not ad-
NIT of doubt. The French criminal
law is not as merciful as that of the
United States. There will be no such
protracted trial as was accorded to the
slayer Of President Garfield. but the
misereants head will fall into the bas-
ket at the foot Of the guillotine with
out unnecessary delay. But his death
will not repair the wrong he has
wrought. 1t will not restore to France
model chief magistrate. 1t will not
heal the wounds his knife has made in
the heart of Madame Carnot. nor will it
assuage the grief of the people of
France. who loved their president with
an ardor peculiar to the race.
One great good will result from the
deplorable tragedy. Anarchism will
be exterminated from the face of
Europe, if it shall be necessary in order
to do so to destroy tens of thou sands
of lives. For, in view of this event,
the lives Of none of the soversigns of
the continent are safe.