Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-04-26
Lavish Display in Algisrs no: to the Liking
Of the French Executive.
BORN OF GOVERNMENTAL NECESSITY
PIE eat Republic Considered Safely Anch-
Crsd in Pablo Favor.
NO RoYAlsr STRONG ENOUGH TO RULE
Only Possibility f. Louis Napoleon
who. is Satisfied with Present
Position in the Rus
sian Army.
COMPARISONS OF THE TWO PRESIDENTS

PARIS April 25.-(New York World Ca
blegram - Special Telegram )-"President
Roosevelt 10 regarded in France as a most
interesting man, like a modern knight
errant, and. withal, frank, manly and sym
pathetic" said Charles Laurent to the
World correspondent. Mr.. Laurent, who
wears the cross OF the Legion Of Honor,
was formerly municipal councillor and
a deputy. and now Is an aggressive editor
ial writer for the Matin and the Francois.
at hrst, after President McKinley's s
death, he was feared" continued Mr..
Laurent, but now he is universally ad-
mired for not permitting his soldierly in
stincts to develop into Chauvinism (hatred
\ Of foreiRpers').
II The World correspondent referred to the
press comparison OF the travels of Presi-
dents Roosevelt and Loubet whereupon
Mr.. Laurent observed:
Injustice is done to President Loubet.
He has the simplest tastes and is very
democratic. ! often meet him at Place
du Chalet standing on the curb. /, after
saiuting. remark: What are you doing
here, Nj. lie President. He. replying. un-
affcctedly. says: / am Just waiting for
my omnibus and when IL comes along he
hops on. standing on the platform and
smoking a cigar.
But the voyage and displays in Algiers
had to be made costly, or l perceive
France would have been belittled In the
eyes Of the Arabs"
Mr. Laurent expressed his ideas on other
subjects now agitating the press as fol-
lows:
Republic IL Permanent.
"a change in government in France
could only become possible as the result oi
a most disastrous war, or one ending In
extraordinary victory. In the first instance
maddened Ykth chagrln. the people might
do anything; in the second. a successful
general might become such popular Idol
that he could achieve anything.
"one royaiist. the pretended Prince Victor
Napoleon, who, forbidden 70 enter France
lives in Brussels, is out of the race FOR
private reasons, while bis younger brother
Louis, now general in the Russian army
though able and popular, seems content In
his present position. The other pretender
the duke OF Orleans, who is also barred
from France, had a iefpopularity through
insisting on coming into the country to q,
military service, but being arrested as
result he has now subsidized"
Speaking on the question Of the budget
Mr.. Laurent said:
1T is impossible for II to be worse. bu
/ think the government credit Is not men
aced, although the dif1culties can only b.
overcome by more taxation and rigid econ
omy. The French 'wOolen stockings ar
still as full Of money as they were in 1870
but It would take some great national peri
to bring II odt."
Believes I'm Free Press.
Touching upon the topic OF the freedom
OF the press. he observed:
Il believe in absolute freedom in utter
ance even OF the anRrchistic organs. Blu
believe the press is equally amenable I
punishment as others II they transgres
the common law"
Recently in a series OF articles entitle
"Une Bastille a Prendre" "a Bastille I
seize) Mr.. Laurent accused the governmen
of opening the private mail of prominen
persons, particularly during the Dreyfu
case, the worst offense being committed g
u the branch postofhce in the Avenue
'EOpera.
81 made the accusations unqualihedly.
he said, "and have vainly challenged gov
ernmental prosecution. l do not accus
Premier Combes OF being responsible, bJ
Anally such espionage became so bad this
Forichoni the hrst president of the coul
OF appeals, was obliged to have all of hi
mail addressed to his country residenc
The outrageous situation has been some
what relieved now"