The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-21

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form LOUIS made came toe late be-
cause 1t was forced and, finally, the
hungry people went after royalty ana
DeIore the revolution ended thousands
OF good and bad men and women died
cruel deaths. It is going to be that
way in Russia II the people there ever
get the taste of blood and success. The
only thing in the way is the Russian
standing army, for poor Louis had
only a little force which he could de-
pend upon, while the cars soldiers
seem generally to stand firm, largely
because there are so many Cossacks,
Tartars and others who don't know
VIII ether liberty is som ething to eat or
style revolution could be made to win
against modern guns, so long as there
are men enough to fire them. But III
gamble on the proposition that Mich
olas would give pretty sum If he were
sure of his proposition.
Francs is a republic, yet nowhere have
been where aristocratic and hered-
ditary titles are so plentiful as they
seem to be here. Counts, marQuises and
dukes are about as thick in France as
colonies and judges are in Kentucky.
1 am not going to deny, in view of the
evidence offered in Kentucky, or in the
case OF the foolish young American WO
men whose fathers are rich, that the
ioVe or titles is not uncommon IN the
United States. But 1t is not carried to
the extreme that it is in this great
european republic whose motto is lib
erty, equality, fraternity" There are
several sources from which the genuine
titles come and good politics in France
causes them all to be recognized. In
the first place there was a large nObil-
ity before the revolution. When 1t was
scattered over Europe because of loyal
~ to the king and fear of the guillotine,
the result naturally came that the titles
T1Hlt1nIfe0 for there T7nhnHU Z LxenY1
books and none to deny. Then came
Napoleon, who was. wise and knew how
Frenchmen love titles and decorations.
Napoleon found all the old nobility
against him SO out OF his soldiers and
statesmen he made a duplicate set, and
as 1t was easier to pay for an act of
bravery or of wisdom with a diploma
and a seal than with cash, Napoleon
made plenty while he was making.
When the Bourbons came back to the
throne they had to recognize the Ma
poleon mobiles in order to keep them IN
good humor and they also had to make
barons and counts out Of everybody
who had helped them or loaned them
money during their years of tramping.
Then came another revolution and Ma
gregation of fellow-conspirato to re-
ward and he showered titles upon his
crowd regardless of expense. That
makes four different sets of nobility in
France and helps to account for the
abundant crop.
In addition to these, anybody who
wants to be a nobleman and who has
the cash to make him desirable, has
no trouble in getting himself adopt
ed by some poor but respected count
or marquis and being then the son
and heir has a legal title to hitch to
his own name. OF course all this
multiplicity of honors makes them
cheap, but they are still coveted by
citizens Of the French republic and
they are bought with wedding rings
and handsome settlements by fool
Americans. In England there is no
such confusion and nonsense There is
a big book in England which is kept
by the government and is an accurate
record of every title, when and how
1t was obtained, and who holds 1t. So
in England titles are rare highly
valued and when you see one you know
it is genuine. Occasionally the English
government makes new batch out Of
statesmen. generals or brewers, but as
a rule an English title may be accepted
as If the brand were blown in the
bottle But the titles in the republic
of France-WeH they won't stand in
vestigation much better than our
"eolonels.' Far be it from me- who
as newspaper reporter has conferred
the title of Judge on many a justice
of the peace and who has raised to tn e
rank of "colonel' many a man who
never smelled powder. not even face
powder, to criticize the title loving
people of France I only mention this
condition in order to explain why it is
better to shake well a French title be-
fore taking it for granted. It is about
as easy to read your title clear to man
sions in the skies as it is to get war
ranty deed for the title of an ordinary
French nobleman.
great deal is said about the i'm
morality of the Parisians- Many good
people go to Paris to be shocked and of
course they succeed. But there is q
great deal of difference in the way
things are done and often what would
look very bad in New York or Hutch
inson is not really so awful when per-
petrated by the light hearted and eff
fervescent French people. It is not nee
essary in Paris to go to the cafes after
midnight and let the gay Parisiennes
show their ability to kick high and
show other things that a man sees in
the window OF a store which sells ladies'
underwear. You cannot blame the
dainty gOwned women for picking up
their skirts to keep them from being
soiled by the walks and crossings. And
if they chance accidentally as they do
three times out of four. to make evil
dent the fact that they wear costumes
that match or contrast all the way
through, they mean nothing by it ex-
cept full confidence in the art of the
Partisan hosier and lace maker, a con-
hdence. which I am told by observers,
/ is always justified. ". Y. MORGAN.