Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-10-01

| opened the ancient controversy its decision
| throwing common and aristocratic folk
| alike into confusion. AS its Immediate re-
| suit there is to be a special feature added
| to the coming census. with a parliamentary
| inquiry to follow. Later on there promises
| to be a curious rakng up of family his
| tories. Meanwhile any honest ctiz n may
| freely continue to take title Of nobility
| and the republic will protect him in it.
To the suburbs of Marseilles. some lfteen
| years ago, there came a gentleman from 10
| one knew exactly where; but as he pur-
chased a fine property and responded to I'll
! neighborly courtesies with solid hospitality
| the landed proprietors. without much hesl-
| fancy, soon came to accept him as the
| Comte de R, a native of Brittany
| whose health required him to seek a mild
climate. He was a widower with "A young
| daughter; and the years went round the
| girl grew Up into the social life around ker
and chose, from many suitors, the young
and handsome Baron c., who would
undoubtedly have married her had not her
| father most inopportunely died a bankrupt.
Count Not of Noble Family
Then Baron C. refused and wishing TO
| be regular" went into court TO have the
| marriage contract Set aside. His plea as
| tonished every one. He asserted. and his
lawyers proved II, that the Comte de r.
vas not of noble family, that he la
aInassed his fortune as a manufacture OF
Rouen, and that he had then purchased the
small property in Brittany whence he
took his name and title. The girl was will
ing to let her unworthy sutton go; but as
she felt she had been cruelty treated. she
Gained her grief and listened to her law
ytrs, who assured her that should she an
ply for d pOStpOnen ent. they believed that
tEey could make the Baron c. regret
his VI chvalrous conduct And they did
ii. At the next hearing of the case they
proved the Baron c. himself to have
no more right to his title than she mad to
hers. Her father had appropriated his title
The baron's grandfather had appropriated
his! Both stood On the same footing. Then
came, a few weeks later the decision of
| the judges. with a third surprise. The
Comte de R and the grandfather of the
Baron c., the judges said, had equally
the right to take title. Any Freuchmau
may be baron, count or marquis If he so
desires to decorate his name. In the eyes
of the republic such homemade nobility
is just as good a direct descent from the
blue blooded families of the ancient re-
gime!
NobiIity's Rights CurtaiIed.
Such is the decision. at once humorous
and reasonable. from the republican point
of view. 1t means that the French repub-
lie only looks on titles as so many names,
and will not go out of it's way to take
charge of them. Should any of the old no.
bility be injured by the usurpation of a
valid title. they may always go into the
courts. and so protect their property; but
they nave no exclusive right to go about
with handles to their names. The strange
thing Is the outCry with which the doctrine
has been received, not only by aristocrats
but by republicans. The aristocratic jour
nails brand Il as an intentional insult to the
noble names of France. The republicans
who ought In that case TO rejoice in lido
not rejoice In it at all Instead they all
unite to call halt upon a practice that has
been going on for many years and bearing
with it danger to republican institutions
In every part of France they have begun to
publish lists Of local titles that have thus
been Jumped" within the memory of man.
Week after week the lists are swelled, I'M
til 1t begins to look as if three-quarters of
the PRETENDED nobility of France today is
bogus.
NapOIeOn's Merit System
As already indicated. the practice really
began in 1880, when Louis Phflipne was
made the democratic citizen-king Of the
French, for the Napoleonic titles are not
classed as limitations Napoleon created
princes, dukes, counts and barons 1t was
his aim to build up new aristocracy, to
take the place of that which had been two
thirds destroyed by the French revolution.
but he did not insult the old order by usurp-
ing the old names and styles. To show that
the new aristocracy was to be built on
merit. he even connec ted the new titles
with civil and military grades a colonel
was a baron and a general a count nv
analogy projects could aspire to the title Of
baron, and councillors of state and senators
to that of count Napoleon. anxious to be
regarded as the restorer of his country,
made great efforts to melt the two nobtli-
ties, the old and the new, but only partially
succeeded. The amalgamation did not really
take place until after the restoration after
Napoieon's fall. which, by re-esta bills hing
the old titles and recognizing the new ones,
put them on an equal footing.
Titles Not Hereditary.
II matters had remained in that position
there would not now be more than % 900
families In France that could lay claim to
a title of nobility. The titles attached TO
certain Offices By the empire were not he
reditary, but became extinct at the death
Of their holders. Only those titles which
had entailed estates attached to them
would have continued. On the other hand
many families belonging to what was left
of the old nobility had been wiped out by
the misfortunes and hardships of exile
The indemnity act in their favor only
Slightly repaired their disaster or the
immense sum OF 100000 900 set apart to
aid the old noblesse in purchasing back rs
estates the greater portion went by favor
n 6