The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-17

soon must resign, but no one save
| Clemenceau and a few others foresaw
| the fatal issue. The situation brought
on through his fault is most dangerous.
Never has there been a better oppor-
! tfnity for a coup d'etat in France since
| 1852.
| The republic for the next forty-eight
| hours will be lying at the mercy of the
/ first man who will seize it, but the sud-
denness of M Faure's demise prevents
| the enemies of the republic concerning
to strangle her. Beside there is no man
of sufficient prestige to make coup
d'etat. The generals are diSaffected,
but the soldiers though hostile to the
Jews would not obey if ordered to fire
on the republicans. NJ. Faure apparent
ly died at the nick of time. The reaction
ist forces, under his encouraging eye,
were being gathered to battle.
WHAT HE IMAGINED.
Goodness knows what he fondly
imagined. Perhaps it was that mill
tary coalition would hail him as a
savior. NJ. Faure went privately and
unexpectedly last week to the opera
Notwithstanding the surprise caused by
his visit, the directors staff rushed out
to receive him. NJ. Faure's aid de camp,
as the president advanced towards the
stairs made a sign that the attendants
were to fall back a considerable dis
tance to mark their respect He had
received a few days before a letter from
the czar and had not yet descended
from the high sphere. AT st. Petersburg
he was much shocked to find himself
view without a military escort. After
the czar had conducted him to Peterhof
palace, NJ. Faure remarked: How
lacking the Russian court is in dig
nifty"
His best point was genuine charity
for the poor and the suffering. There
was doubtless parade in his visits to
| hospitals, but there was also much
kindness. He gave handsomely to the
poor, though close handed in other re-
spects. His Thursdays were devoted to
visiting hospitals and it was on Thurs
day that he was called away.
NO BED OF ROSES.
The Elysee was no bed of roses to NJ.
Faure. He loved its grandeur, but he
dreaded blackmallerS. Urban Gohier,
one of the most respected journalists in
France, had threatened to expose the
jobs of the Madagascar expedition,
which, as minister of marine, NJ. Faure
had organized. Corruption and imbe-
cility marked the enterprise to such an
extent that the French government was
compelled to send the artillery on Brit
ish steamers He was more civilly
treated by the crowned heads than any
other president of France; and he was
member of the most illuStrious orders
the Prussian Red Eagle. The last grand
function at Elysee was his admission
into the order of the Golden Fleece. He
was almost a business partner of King
Leopold in Congo affairs.
1t delighted him to kiss the hands of
sovereign ladies. He had kissed those
of the Dowager Czarina, of the reign
ing Russian empress, of Empress Eliz-
abeth of Austria, Queen Victoria, Queen
Dowager Emma of the Netherlands, and
of Queen Wilhelmina. He had been the
host of the kings of Belgium, Greece,
Portugal and Siam. of the czar and
czarina, of Prince Ferdinand of Bull
garia and of the Duke of Connaught
Cervantes never imagined anything
more incongruous than NJ. Faure in
his palatia1 grandeur and accepted as
kind of younger brother by European
royalties.