Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-15

Gallifet, an irascible old martinez, with a
silver stomach In place OF the one shot
away in the Mexican war, were among those
chosen. Their first job was to get the
Dreyfus case out Of the way, which they
did In a manner which by no means salts
fed everybody. but with a hnality that
prevented further agitation. Then came
two years OF hard administrative work
which makes no showing except in ulti-
mate results.
One ~agitator after another was squelched.
Il remember being in Paris when Paul
Deroulede was trying to make a General
Boulanger Of himself. In a rusty looking
cab, so as to please the plain people, he
was riding up and down the boulevards,
receiving cheers and gaining a considerable
following. Waldeck-Rousseau thought him
over during the consumption Of one cigar
cite and packed him over the frontier,
where he still languishes. The administra-
tive sword Of Napoleon was coming into
play. The next oficlal heads to fall into
the basket were those Of high army officers
who had been paying more attention to
politics than TO drill.
There was tremendous uproar, but moth
ing happened and the administrative ma
chine ground on. The next adversary was
a much more difficult one.
Claw Of Religious Associations"
Since Riehelieu's day there has always
been a section OF the church party in France
that has sought to mix religion and politics
to the end Of securing a priestly dictator
ship. Here again the Napoleonic system
was useful. When the great Corsican re-
established Christianity in France he made
an agreement or "concordat" with the
papacy by which no French bishops were to
be appointed without the consent Of tho
French government. All French admins
~trations had been Jealous Of this preroga-
tive and the vatican authorities in turn
had always tried to evade It. Feeling that
its control over the parochial clergy was
not sufficiently strong the vatican encour-
aged the growth OF religious orders In
France which would be under the direct
authority of Rome. These had grown very
strong and Waldeck-Rousseau became con-
WINGED that they we're meddling in politics
with a view to overthrowing his govern
ment. AS a result came the famous law
Of Religious Associations which puts them
all under the supervision Of the govern
ment. Again there was great uproar and
the associations have posed as martyrs be-
fore the world. But the French people
have endorsed Waldeck- Rousseau's course
in the matter by five votes to three.
But the man himself, aside from his de-
termined use OF the Napoleonic machine,
accounts for his victory at the polls and
the present stability OF republican govern
meut in France. In most of his official life
he Is stiff and unbendlng and he holds his
friends chiefly by never forgetting them
can unbend. and Count Munster, the Ger
man ambassador, was heard to exclaim at a
reception, 81 wish my imperial master
might know him" His real hold, however,
is not with those who appear in drawing
rooms. but with the workingman Of the
nation. With the aspirations Of organized
labor he has always a strong and under
standing sympathy.
The story is told that one day when he
was first minister Of the interior, a number
OF carpenters called upon him who wished
to form association or guild for mutual
benefit, but were unable to do so because
they had no money. There was no public
fund for the purpose, but Waldeck- Rous-
seau, struck with their plan, himself ad-
vanced the necessary amount. Nc papers
were signed, no witnesses to the act were
called, but the money was returned upon
the day appointed. He was thus the father
Of the first workingman's association for
mutual benefit organized in France, a move
ment that has now reached vast proper
tions. Waldeck- Rousseau's connection with
1t has given him a hold with the masses
which his political opponents have never
been able to shake.
"a Man Who Does Not Talk"
C%artoonists make Waldeck- Rousseau's
head long and narrow with a heavy under
jaw and a generally wooden expression.
His enemies describe the hated Waldeck'
as being metallically hard and unsympa-
thetic. He is a man who does not talk, ."
they say. and a Frenchman who is not
voluble is sure to be imperfectly I'M
derstood by his fellow countrymen. or
his colleagues In the cabinet he asks advice
and then always follows his own ideas.
He is a great cigarette smoker and
when there is a great question on he OBJ
scures himself in a cloud of smoke until
he has thought 1t out. Once decided he
retires into an upstairs room, which is
arranged like a studio and amuses himself
with water color painting, apparently as
much absorbed in the little canvas before
him as he was a few moments before In the
destinies Of a nation. When he has time
for longer recreation he goes fishing. His
country house on the Seine above Paris
almost overlooks the river. His principal
outdoor companion is Tcho, a big Chinese
dog. whom his master describes as IAN
excellent keeper Of political secrets"
OF the minister's private life the world
knows little except that 1t is blameless-
something not always possible to say of
French public men in the past and now part
Of the better order Of things In French
politics. Nine. Waldeck- Rousseau was a
widow when he married her twenty years
ago. They have no children, else he might
have been more like other Frenchmen, who
are young again in their sons.
Prophecy is rarely safe for France or
F~renchmen. but so long as waldeck-
Rousseau rules the republic is safe. With
all his GOODNESS he has kept alive the re-
publican nre he received In his early man
hood from that ~thunderclap Gambetta.
Beyond that he is a strong man and a
good housekeeper, things pre-eminently
desired by Frenchmen.