The San Francisco call., 1905-02-05
M. Paul DOuIner
Wins WdU to
the Top.
SON OF POOR MAN
Begins Life as
an EngfdVor'S
Apprentice.
Special Dispatch to tn. call.

PARIS, Feb. 8.-Paul Doumer, the
new president of the Chamber of Depu-
ties, is the most brilliantly successful
type Of self-made man in France to-
day. An ex-Minister, Ex-Governor of
Indo-China, one Of the foremost states
men OF France and in the opinion of
many the likeliest successor Of Loubet
as President of the republic, Doumer is
the son Of petty railroad employe. He
came to Paris at the age of Ia years
seeking his fortune. Ready to try his
hand at anything, young Paul entered
an engraver's shop as an apprentice.
He soon became so expert that he was
given his certificate as workman and
gained admission to a big medal fac
tory. Here, having his evenings to him
self, he started in to perfect his hith-
erto neglected education. At the age Of
q, having meanwhile lost not a day
from his work, he passed his examina-
tions before the University of Paris
and received the license of sciences de-
gree, emitting him to admission to the
state schools as professor.
For some years young Doumer taught
in the French provinces. Then a ply
sical weakness threatened to cut short
his career. His voice failed under the
constant strain of lecturing and he was
afflicted with periods of aphonia Fin
ally he was compelled to renounce his
chair. Nothing daunted, he decided to
turn his education to another purpose
by taking up politics, using journalism
as a medium. He became an editor,
and resigned this post only to enter the
Chamber Of Deputies in 1888, flying the
Radical flag. He had gone in at a spe-
cial election to succeed a dead Deputy.
At the general elections the year fol-
lowing he was defeated. But then a re-
markable tribute was paid to his talent
The President of the new chamber,
Floquet, invited Doumer to become the
head Of his private cabinet, so that
Doumer remained in the chamber al
though he had lost his seat. At the
next election Doumer was reelected
Deputy and interested himself particu-
larly in the questions of municipal un-
ions. q proposed general reform of the
treasury and workingmens co-opera-
tive societies.
In 1895 Premier Bourgeois intrust-
ed to Doumer the portfolio of Fin
ance. and Doumer defended the prof.
0CI Itle income lax. Wnen the
Bourgeois Cabinet fell and the Me-
line Cabinet followed the next year
Doumer was appointed Governor of
Indo-China.
ENERGETIC GOVERNOR.
1t is stated by all who have follow
ed Indo-Chinese affairs and the
French colonial question generally
that DOun1er was fbe hast Colonial
Governor France has ever had. En-
dowed with sufficient energy to inves-
tigate conditions for himself and see
where possibilities for Improvement
lay, he also had sufficient courage to
carry out the reforms which he found
to be necessary. He reorganized the
entire administration of his colony,
opened up new roads, built railroads,
improved the welfare of the coIonists,
put them on good terms with the ma
tives, sternly suppressed all abuses of
power or irregularities among petty
officials and made himself, in a word.
the executive as well as the nominal
head. He also was the first to realize
Japan's pan-Asiatic ambitions and the
serious menace which they would be
to all European powers having colo
nial possessions in Asia, and he or
ganized Indo-China SO as to be in a
position to Withstand a Japanese in
vasion, which he still considers would
have come already if Japan's atten-
ton had not been more imperatively
called to Manchuria and Russia
AS he pursued his work, however.