The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-18
THE FRENCH
SITUATION
M. Emile Loubet is the Fa-
vorite Candidate.
FOR THE PRESIDENCY
HE WOULD GAIN FRIENDSHIP
OF EUROPEAN SOVEREIGNS.
THE DEAD PR SI0ENT LIES IN STATE
relsgrams Of Sympathy Pour in From All Parts
Of the Globe. Public Events Take
Dramatic Turn. The
Death Scene.

a Dramatic Turn. The
Death Scene.
Copyright 1899 by Associated Press.)
Paris, Feb. II. Everything is very
quiet in Paris tonight. There is no dan
ger of coup d'etat The favorite candi-
date for the Presidency is NJ Emile Lou
bet, now President of the Senate. Still
the Ministers whom | saw today think
Mr.. Faure's death is misfortune at
the present iuncture, and this is the CON
ventional talk. They had all looked for
ward to his having soon to resign; and
they spoke today Of the possible effect
of his death on the courts of Europe.
If NJ. Loubet is elected. European So
vereigns would soon transfer to him their
friendly regards. He is a good unaffect-
ed. level headed man, of honest, oDen
life and far more intellectual culture
than poor Faure. He is an advocate
and practiced at the MOntilemar Bar,
in the Department of Drome. Montile-
mar is his native town. AS precau-
ton against a coup d'etat, or any at
temots of the sort, the troops have been
ordered to keep within barracks in all
the garrison.
NJ. Faure's body, now embalmed is
lying in state in the Sale des Fetes of
the theatre built by President Carnot
for concerts and dramatic ent rtain-
ments. The body is dressed in an even
ing coat and the immaculate, well known
white waistcoat, athWart which is the
broad red ribbon Of watered silk of the
Legion of Honor The eyes are closed
and fill out the q "a ids
A black canopy, bordered with silver
braid, overshadows the couch. Before
the body was embalmed informal dead
mass was celebrated in the Elysee Cha
pei
Today the whole official world has
paid formal visits of coincidence TO the
palace. the formality consisting in writ
ing the visitors name in the register
Piles of kilograms from corporate
bodies, personal friends, sympathizers in
all parts of France. and, indeed. Europe
and even Asia have answered. The
first to telegraph to Madam Faure was
Emperor William. the next Prince Fer
dinand, of Bulgaria. The army has
been ordered to go into mourning until
after the obsequies.
Public events in France have a strange
suddenness and take spontaneously Il
dramatic character. Thus NJ. Faure's
body lies in a Sale des Fetes, or hall
of festivities. The cards had been is
sued to 5000 persons to attend a state
ball next Thursday. Today the tapes
tries of the ball room have been taken
down that the room may be hung in
black
NJ. Faure had looked forward with de-
light to the Elysee being in 1900 the re-
sort of sovereigns. The last letter he had
from Emperor Nicholas was an accept
ance of his on. Faure's) invitation. He
took great pleasure, also, in thinking
that membership in the Order of the
Annunciation would make him a "Cou-
sim of King Humbert; and the insignia
of that order were to have been present
ed to him by n special embassy this
month. But his soul was suddenly re-
quired of him; and all connected with
his Presidential career is over. His
death breaches Il sermon upon the vanl-
ty of human ambition.
NJ. Lockroy, the Minister of Marine
is especially struck with the example
NJ. Faure's death gives of the fragility
of human greatness. Twice yesterday he
communicated with the President ON
naval affairs. Mr.. Faure, as n former
ship agent and charterer at Havre, and
once himself minister of Marine, deemed
himself a naval authority. His naval
hobby was a fleet of Corsair cruisers to
attack. in case of war; English trans
Atlantic steamers. NJ. LOckroy humored
him and often consute him; and now he
can't realize that the President is no
more. He SAYS he feels as he once did
during an earthquake. The total eclipse
Of the elysian preparations for festivity
wv the deepest mourning also comes
home to Lockroy.
Some fatality follows the Presidents
of the French Republic OF the SIX we
have had only President Grevy lived
through a full term of office; and he was
forced TO resign by hostile vote of Par
lament. Marshall MacMahon found he
could not remain President with dignity.
NJ. Casimir-Periers motives for throw
ing up the situation are still mystery.
Carnot was assassinated and faure
smtten as if bysa thunderbolt.
NJ. Lockroy, who was present at the
death. thinks it was painless. lIf.
Lanne-Ioneue shares this opinion, but
believes there was in the early stages
of apoplectic seizure agonizing pam.
The doctors attribute the break down
in the Presidents health to tash0da
and thinks that the consequent anxiety
used up his vitality. NJ Faure had
fostered the scheme, Major Marchand
was sent to accomplish, and he was
terrified ut its possible consequences.
DR.. Lanne-L Tongue tells me that after
the Fashoda incident NJ. Faure lost