Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-24

engineers Of the p. l.. M; and In the end
1t will make a report and recommend a
route.
Here, think the French, is an ex-presi-
work to keep him out of running for cleo
tive office. They have reason to be tender
OF their Loubet; he is the first president of
this republic to quit Office regularly. not by
sudden death or resignation.
TIMERS had difficulty with parliament and
resigned, MacMahOn had difficulty with
parliament and resigned. Grevy had diff
fcuhy with parliament and resigned Car
dlfhculty with parliament and resigned. And
Felix Faure died suddenly In office.
Here. too. Is another reason why they
think that NJ. Loubet should set the ex-
ample OF the ancient Cincinnatus who be-
ing called from his blowing to lead the ar
mics or Rome returned to his blowing when
me term OF office expired. Three of NJ Lou
bets predecessors returned to their blows
correctly never running again for any Of
hce-MacMahon, Grevy and CaSimer-Perier
But there was one who set bad examine
thlers-Who ran once for senator and twice
Tor deputy Cor congressman and got elect
ed every time
The Other Ex-Presidents.
And M Loubet Will be able to counterfeit
the undIgniied precedent of NJ. Theirs all
the more readily because he practically
stands alone. There are but two of them
Ieft-eX-Presdent Loubet and ex-President
Casimir-Perier; and no one fears that Cast
mir VIII ever get gay and go running
for elective Office. Casinlr-Perler has his
record made. He Is an interesting figure
a man who cannot be separated from his
ancestors. And, 10 heighten the interest,
recent conduct Of his points to a blank
family mystery, so completely blank that
no one IN France has been able TO imagine
its solution. Can It be that Casimir- Perier
hates the memory of his great-grandfather
Claude. the man who started the French
revolution?
When the French revolution broke out In
1883 Claude Perier was the richest and
most influential man around about Gren-
oble.
lie was not at all a noble. He was linen
manufacturer with quantities OF work
men on his payroll. He was banker and
flnaHcier. He was a restless, far-seeing
oVerman.' bent on developing his region.
He was forty-seveu wears old and for
years he had lived richly In the chateau or
Willie, which he had bought for cash from
the peteFlng-out aristocratc family de-
scended from the Constable de Lesdiguieres,
who had built Il 200 years before
Most men think that the French revolu-
ton started In the taking OF the Bastille
III l7s9 1t did not. The French revoiu-
ton had its start In this chateau OF Willie,
and it's starter was Claude Perier, the linen
manufacturer.
The land was full of philosophic talk, of
rumors of liberty, equality and fraternity.
Inc power or kings and mobiles should be
clipped. as it had been clipped recently by
the Americans. The men of Dauphiny
came 10 Claude Perier and asked What
shall do?"
He answered. Meet me In my chateau
OF While"
Start of the French Revolution.
There they met. on July 81, 17ss, the
deputies Of Dauphiny; and there they were
the first to vote the meeting OF the etats-
generaux, so that French children are now
being taught TO call the conference of VI
zille the prelude of the revolution" After
the terror Claude Perier was sent to Paris
as member of the legislative Body. He
lived 10 see the republic emerge from the
bloody anarchy which he himself had thus
unwittingiy let loose, and before he died.
In 1901, he did a thing that In itself would
be enough to make him famous.
It was Claude Perier. the starter of the
French revolution, who, in the last years
of his life, drew up the statutes of the
Bank of France.
He had a son. Antoine-S cipion who be-
came a great ironworker, the creator OF
the Chaillot foundries He introduced the
Catalan forges into his native country and
applied steam engines TO coal mining
But Claude had another son. named Cast
mir, who at the age of eighteen ran away
from home to fight under the young Napo-
leon Bonaparte. in Italy. He became Ma
poleon's friend. and by rights he should
have become famous soldier.
Well. a lady came between them She
preferred young Perier. Napoleon Bona