New-York tribune., 1912-04-15
HENRI BR|SS0N DEAD
President of Chamber of Deputies
and Twice Premier of France.
Paris, April A.-Henri Brsson. President
lie was born at Bourges on July 81, 1885.

lie was born at Bourges on July 81, 1888.
Henri Brisson began life as lawyer and
tributor to the Temps in the last days
Of the Second Empire. He was also one OF
the founders Of LA Revue PolitiQue."
which in its heyday was one OF the most
influential periodicals in France. His in
PRODUCTION to active politics dates from
1871. the year OF the Commune, when he
was returned to the Assembly as repre-
sentative Of the Department OF the Seine
His was one of the 363 signatures to the
protestation against what was called the
government Of May 49," a government
which deliberately attempted|o overthrow
the republican regime. BY this time ne
was Deputy for the Tenth Arrondssement
Of Paris and one of the vice-presidents of
the chamber. succeeding to the Presidency
OF the lower house In 1881.
Brisson became Prime Minister and Min
lister Of Justice on April 6. 1855. in stop
gap administration, whose object il was
to pave the way for the general elections
after the defeat of Jules Ferry's long ad-
ministration. He- stood by his predecessor
when il was proposed to impeach him. and
succeeded in obtaining the approval of the
chamber to the protectorate treaties OF
! Hue and Pnom-Peut, which had been ne
gotiated by Jules Ferry I'm 1854
At the Presidential election OF 1888 Henri
Brsson's name was put forward contrary
10 his expressed desire, but the retiring
President Jules Crevy, was reelected. His
ministry lasted nine months. NJ. de Frey
| cinet succeeding him as Premier on Janu-
aiy :. 1856 From that time until mis- re-
election as president Of the chamber III
1874 he held no public office. though often
| invited 10 do so. In this year the Presi-
dency of the republic again became vacant
| nv the assassination of Sadi-Carnot, and
Brlsson was again candidate. hut re-
ceived fewer votes than Casmir- Perier.
His period Of comparative political in
activity had brought him through the anx-
ious days Of the Panama scandals US'Z)
without a stain upon his reputation ana
to him II fell 10 conduct the inquiry INTO
the gigantic frauds connected with france
! attempt to accomplish what Is only no"
being completed by the United states lie
was president OF the chamber at the uine
| OF the Charity Bazaar fire. on May T. 1871
when some hundreds Of lives were lost ana
in bis official capacity attended the service
held at Notre Dame in consequence thereof
| He listened to the sermon preached by
| Father Olivier on that occasion, and was
| Mortified at the latters suggestion that the
fire was the divine retribution for the sins
of France
Next day Brisson replied 10 the priest
from the presidential chair in the Chamber
Of Deputies, and in the course of his re-
marks he virtually denied the existence OF
Supreme Being. The Catholic Deputies
vehemently protested against what they
termed his misuse of his place as presi-
dent. but the chamber as a whole wanted
an outlet for its feelings, and a proposal TO
placard Henri Brisson's speech in every one
of the &c 900 communes OF France was car
ried by large majority. His popularity
was shortlived, however. for in the revul-
sion Of feeling caused by the incident an
other president Of the Chambsr-Paul Des
chancl-was chosen in preference 10 the
extreme radical
When the Mclire Cabinet fell. in 1898.
France was in the throes of the Dreyfus
agitation. After NM. Peytral, Sarrien and
Ribot had failed TO form Cabinets, Brisson
was commissioned by the President to un-
dertake this duty, which he carried to
successful issue. In that year the army
became a subject of dissension. After
series of votes affirming the supremacy Of
the civil over the military power declaring
continued confidence in the army and re-
jecting a motion censurng the government
for mot causing the army to be respected,
the Chamber called upon the government .
institute prosecutions against persons in
sulting the army" Thi, Brsson declined
10 do, and the subsequent vote of conf
dence in the government was lost by 2S6 II
254. Brisson and his colleagues irnmedi-
ately resigned. Thus fell. after four
months. government which was noted for
its determined effort to free the nation from
an aggressive mitarism.
In the following year President Faure
died and Brsson was again a candidate,
but again found himself second. In 1905
another Presidential election occurred, but
again another candidate was preferred. In
that. wear he was reelected president Of the
Chamber and had held that important Of
fee ever since. In view of his advanced
age. # was regarded as unlikely that ne
would he a candidate at the Presidential
election to take place next January.
lie was a man of robust appearance and
medium stature. For many years mis- re-
publicansm was Of a Spartan nature. ie
lived in a bare fat that the Iron Duke
would have admired and was never known
TO take a cab always riding on the outside
of omnibuses.