The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-27
FRENCH MASTERS IN
ART OF GRAFT
Americans Night Learn Les
sons From Them
SOME VISITORS IN PARIS
Mrs Grover Cleveland May Meet Theo-
dere Roosevelt in French Capital
Next week-The Tariff
Complications
SOME VISITORS IN PARIS

Paris. March 26-fSpecialp = Only a
short time ago | told how the graft ex-
posures In the United States had caused
somewhat cynical amusement in France,
and quoted some opinions of the "holier
than thou order expressed by some
Erenchmen who protested to believe that
scandals like those which have been
shocking the Americans were no longer
possible here.
The question as TO whether or not the
recent exposures of graft in France came
as punishment for this feeling of SNUG
superiority, ] will leave for the psychol-
ogists, and only record the fact that it
Is apparent, from the exposures of bare
faced thieving piled ONTO what may be
called legal robbery in the management
of the church sequestra1ion fund, to-
gether with The evidence of graft Of the
most sordid kind In the management of
municipal finances, that not only has
France nothing to learn from America,
but the most accomplished grafters of
New York and Philadelphia could well
afford TO take the trip across the ocean
IN order to take lessons from the French
masters of graft.
In the matter of the church seouestra-
ton funds. it has been shown that not
only has properties worth millions been
sold for pittance to favorites, but the
state has been robbed of d greater por-
lion OF the pittance-
Then take the Marseilles hospital site
scandal which has Just developed
doubt If anything in New Yorks history
of graft can very greatly surpass it
The case in brief is as follows: When
the French government distributed the
proceeds OF the sales of converts and
other ecclesiastical domains, a sum of
l.75ac00 francs was given to the town OF
NarSeilles for the benefit of a local char
sty know as the Hospital du Marine A
site of land was to be purchased In the
nryt instance This was secured for
55AO0o francs 1t is now found that land
adjacent, and of larger area was sold
for 10000 francs The deal in oon-
nectfon with the land for the hospital
now calls forth serious imputations
against certain Marseilies notabilities-
And this is only one case There are
others Not since the Panama scandal
has the community been so scaDdslized-
1t can be said for France, however, that
some of the big grafters are likely to
wind up in jail
Among the Americans in Paris during
the past week were Mrs D. D. McMil-
Kan of Minneapolis, Mrs James H and
Miss Margery Bull of Santa Barbara
Cal, and Eugene Creel of Denver
1t Is possible that Mrs. Grover Cleve-
land will meet Mr. Roosevelt when he
comes to Paris next week Mrs Cleve-
land has been the guest Of Professor and
Mrs Baldwin for a few days and has
expressed a great desire To meet the dis
tinguished successor of her distinguished
husband
Regarding the tariff situation with the
United States, optimistic views are still
maintained in highest government cir
Giles 1 am able to state that reports of
a suspension of negotiations are without
foundat tons Negotiations are. in fact
being actively continued Principles
am informed, have been agreed upon,
and discussion now IS upon details
France is willing TO concede what viii
not interfere with her other treaties
The American government has, 1t is said,
receded from its position that "all or
none of our minimum rates must be
granted American exports Paris is con-
hdent mutually satisfactory settlement
will be reached
Paris has decided that the destruction
OF its ancient landmarks shall cease, or
nj least be curtailed-
The owner Of house in the Place des
vosgss. who had altered its facade, has
been ordered to restore 1t in conformity
with the style of all the other buildings
in that square
This historic square is built on the
ground on which stood the Hotel des
Tournelles, Ia which Louis XII died, and
before which Henri II was killed by
Montgomery in the memorable tourns-
meut of 1850. 1t was Henry I who, in
1606 had the plans drawn UP in the style
81 the great Spanish piazas, and when
1T was finished the splendid square was
FIRST known as the Place Royale The
wonderful interest attaching to 1t will be
<N1 xrkA4 10 n-ftn 1Ad hot
Madame de Sevigne was born In the
house bearing the number one, which was
inhabited later ON by the Due de Saint
Limon- Rachel dwelt In 1858 at No. g.
which had been the Hotel de Chaulnes
No 4 WAS the Hotel de Breteuil. At No.
the old Hotel de Rotrou, NJ. Ranc. the
politician and journalist, who had a
ver1table cult for the Place des Vosges,
spent many years, and there he expired.
No Is was the Hotel de Rohan Chabot,
No. Is the Hotel Ormesson, No. II the
Hotel de Chabannes Here also we find
the Hotel de Richelieu. occupied by the
cardinal after he gave the Palais Royal
to the king. No. was the Hotel de
Lavardin. built by the marshal Of that
name, and 1t is perhaps the most cele-
brated of all, as Marion Delorme lived
there. Victor Hugo also dTelt in that
house, which he only left when he went
into exile after the coup d'etat, and now
It contains the museum devoted to relics
of the great poet.
Among the inhabitants of the erewhile
Place Royaie were Condo, Turenne Cinq-
Mars, Saint Vincent de Paul, Madame
de Longueville, and De Thou. Famous
duels were fought in the square in the
old times. Every one of these mansions
indeed, teens with historic memories,
and So too, does the large garden In the
middle of the place, in which stands an
equestrian statue of Louis XIII, grand
son of LIE Balafre who killed the grand
son Of Coligny in duel.
Two police dogs were sufficient to put
to fight a number Of dlsturbers OF the
peace at Vincennes and to secure the
capture of eight others the other day. A
shopkeeper In the district was being boy
cotted for some time and laterly he re-
ceived threats that his shop would be
demolished or burnt down. The police
had to be called out In force to keep the
disturbers away, and when quiet seemed
TO be restored they retired But imme-
diately afterwards gangs Of suspicious
looking individuals again appeared, and
finally some 10 of them assembled, and
were going to pillage the shop.
telephone call informed ethe police of
what was happening, and two policemen,
with their dogs. we're at once dispatched
10 the scene. Seven of the men took to
flight. but the rest remained and in
tended to putup a good fight against two
policemen and two dogs who. they
thought. were no match for them. The
policemen simply let their dogs loose.
and in few minutes it was all over.
The rebels capitulated amid yells and
xroans. as they were being bitten scien-
<gAcoiiv f,, the calves of their legs and