Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-12
pApIs Nouemher ?. 1eo5.

TN few months. or perhaps even few
weeks. II hearsay IS to be credited,
France will have a new president
II though his identity Is still so lost amid
the host of candidates that no one
ran guess shrewdly what his name may be.
For according to the French constitution
the new president is not elected from among
a few nominees pointed out by political
rarffas but Is chosen directly by the men,
hers of the senate and chamber, meeting
AT what il called the congress of Versailles.
The number of candidates is consequently
unlimited, and the one winning the most
votes becomes president. The system is
much the same as that of the party con-
ventlons preceding elections in America,
and the surprises are generally as great.
Several men have already been mentioned
rs favorites, but, 10 judge by precedent,
this would almost suffice to bar them out,
and to render all the more eager the search
FOR the dark horse who will win. In the
latter category one of the names Is none
other than that OF Count Boni de Castel-
lane, husband OF Anna Gould Those who
know Boni best say that his horses and his
club are much nearer to his heart than
would be the glories of holding the helm
OF the ship of state. But his countess has
been stirred by the accounts of what Con-
suelO Vanderbilt has been doing TO further
borough. The countess IL is who has been
largely responsible for Bonfs recent en-
trance into active politics.
While, however. BOni's parliamentary life
has in a way gratlhed Anna Gould's vanity,
Il Is sore thorn in her flesh that she is
still beneath the social prominence of the
Duchess of Marlborough, who ranks above
all Americans married to titled foreigners.
But as the wife OF the president of France
would outrank all the duchesses In the
world, Anna Gould has set her heart upon
climbing to this pinnacle, and she hopes to
succeed by dint of dollars spent in giving
an unprecedented series of dinners, balls
and entertainments generally for the men,
bers of parliament. Many of the members
of both senate and chamber indeed, the
vast majority of them are obscure men
from the provinces who have taken up pol
tiles because they make living out of it,
and who, however liberal may be the prin-
ciples which they proclaim, consider it a
privilege and a Joy to be received by a
count backed by an American millionairess.
And as In France the future president has
to count solely with members of parlia-
snent the Countess de Castellane's idea is
not a bad one.
And Boni may stand more chance than
would be supposed from anything he has
accomplished so far. The one achievement
of his Hfe has been capturing the Gould
millions, which In itself was a masterful
performance, perhaps justifying a man in
resting thenceforth on laurels mixed with
rose leaves. This Incidence is precisely
what counts for him. There is nothing
which the third republic fears as much as
popularity surprising merit. The les
sons of Louis Napoleon's coup d'etat and of
Gen BOulanger's plot have sunk deep.
And so, whenever Frenchman shows him.
self to be intellectually head and shoulders
above his fellows the whole government
coalition Is turned against him TO Gust him
1,AF he do
body.