Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-15
.KINGMAKER HAS
BECOME The KING
SUCH is A FRENCH VIEW OF
CLEMENCEAU
Some Interesting Facts in Regard to
Career of the Distinguished
Statesman


that NJ Clemenceau makes his first
siXty-fl fifth year.
There Is good reason, says Harper's
Weekly, for speaking of Clemenceau
as king maker. 1t was he who put
Carnot into the presidency, on the
fall of Mr. Jules Grevy, whom he him.
self had pulled down. 1t was he who
brought about the election of M. Lou
bet. He once confessed to a friend
that he himself could not remember
now many MINISTRIES he had driven
out of office, when it was found that
ministers he had deprived of their
portfolios.
For instance, it was he who upset
Jules Grevy, the man of Tonkin"; it
was he who drove General Boulan-
ger out of office, when it was found
that "the man on horseback" was
trying to bring back the Bourbons,
as General Monk had brought back
Charles II of England, and M. Frey
cinet he overthrow at least three times
to say nothing of lesser antagonists
disposed Of.
Hardly less picturesque is the fig
ure he makes as a dueliSt. He Is one
of the finest swordsmen in France and
has been principal in a dozen notable
duels and second in as many more. 1t
was he who supported NJ. Floquet in
his duel with General Boulanger,
when the first warrior of France came
within an ace of being killed by the
elderly lawyer. A dozen years ear
lier he had stood second to Gambetta
in the famous duel which grew out
of Marshal MacMahon's attempt to
bring back the Bourbons.
~. ~ ,,rp
Clemeneeau as sensational figure.
A far truer characterization is ''the
sanest radical in Europe" And we
might go even further and say that
since his twentieth year, for we'll nigh
half q century, Georges Clemenceau
has stood as the manifest and most
vigorous embodiment Of the repub-
lican ideal. More than that, we can
see in Clemenceau's mind a steady
growth from the extreme revolution
airy and wise individualism, founded
on Justice and genuine liberty.
George Clemenceau is a true son Of
the French revolution. His father
was imprisoned by Napoleon III at
the time Of the coup d'etat which
destroyed the Second Republic
George Clemenceau himself was ar
rested and imprisoned, ten years
later, for crying Viva la repub-
lique!" at demonstration on the an
niversary of the revolution.
This was in 1861. On his release
| he took up the study Of medicine.
For the doctorate examination he
wrote a noteworthy thesis, "on the
| Generation Of the Anatomical Ele-
mentS.
Instead Of taking up practice young
Clemenceau elected to spend some
| years in travel in the lands of liberty
and after our civil war came to this
country, remaining until the Prussian
/ invasion and Sedan tumbled Napoleon
III from the throne. Among memen-
| tors of his American visit is a copy
of the above mentioned thesis, with
this inscription on the title page:
Presented to the Aston Library
| by the author G. Clemenceau, New
| York, October IL. 1857"
| He spent some time travelling about
| the states and recording his impress
sion for Partisan readers in LIE Temps
for he was already skillful writer
We next find him teaching literary
history In English. which he knew
perfectly, at an academy for young
ladies at Stamford, Conn.
One Of his biographers says that II
was his pleasant study to accompany
his pupils in their daily promenades.
If so, this was the hand Of fate, for
i we presently find him engaged to one
Of his fair students, whom he mar
RED in 1869.
Very dramatic Is the next change
of scene. From the midst Of his pas
toral life by the shore of the sound
we find him suddenly transported
within the walls of Paris. hemmed ir
by the Prussian armies.
His old friend, Argo., very influen-
tial in the government that deposed
Napoleon III, who was organizing
armed resistance to Bismark and
| Moltke, had him appointed mayor OF
the Eighteenth electoral district Car
rondissement) Of Paris, the quarter
of Montmarte. The district was one
| ceau had about $50, 900 to care fol
during the siege, for whose daily ra.
tons he was Immediately responsible
| He made a strong, and effective of
fetal, and even in those early days,
Waged campaign for the separation
of church and state in France.
Spring saw the siege over, the Prus-
/ sian armies gone and the government
of M. Theirs installed at Versailles
There was an initial conclusion be-
tween the government and the popular
feeling Of Paris over the national can
non on the hill of Montmarte, and two
! French generals, Thomas and LIE.
i comte, We're shot by the populace.
Clemenceau did everything in hi!
4 ly two hours ran the gauntlet of the
mob in heroic effort to stop the ex.
ecution Of the generals; he was, too
however, and only by miracle es.
capped a like fate himself That Ions
struggle through the bowling ant
frenzied mob he has called his "Way
Of Calvary"
Next we see him standing for home
rule for Paris against the nationa
government at Versailles and an.
pealing to President THEIRS, but ap.
pealing in vain, for the rights Of hi
beloved city. The refusal Of the Yer.
sailles government was prime caus,
of the uprising of the commune ant
the wild disorders that filled tn,
spring months of 1871.
Again, by sudden transformation
we find Clernenceau' denounced by tn,
commune and In danger of arrest ant
violent death. And later, in 1875
we find him in yet new role pleadin,
for amnesty for the communards. so
900 Of whom had been imprisoned
while twice that number We're in ex.
lie.
/, After the invasion and the com.
nune came the long pariiamentar,
Il struggle when fo1. ,ffet1faen vac nc ~