The Washington herald., 1912-11-05
COURT RObANCES OF OLD
WORLD HAZE USUAL BINDINGS

jyesH. on the ove OF the gruat decisions
TO be arrived At In foreign aAhiss. In do
mestic policies. and In matters relating
70 education. to social questions. and
even to religion is. Of great importance.
On the Personality Of the next President
aanss the issue a. to whether the French
hpublic 10 to survive OF. not. Never has
II been more important TO have the
choice reached in Independence and by
mature reflection. Unless steps are taken
this election win 20 ~ its predecessors
went and be prey to cheap and danger
Gus motives. Ono may well ask whether
the electoral congress- however excel
lent its intentions. will be able to free
itself from entansiemsnts. and. In spite
Of everything. furnish the right Presi-
dent.
Never since the adoption Of the coz
stitution have circumstances more clearly
favored the conditions OF calmness and
trust under which France should select
the man who. for seven years. ID to
watch over the destinies Of the nation.
Do Justice to n. Fa!lieres: he found
matters in q thoroughly bad state and
set them to rights. There had been the
Fsshoda and the Algeciras Affairs and at
s'S"sC al oACoo8 VI u0TIoW seotCeA.6us
day. things are again normal. n. Fall
Heres. 1t IL urged. has allowed himself
to be guided by events. But events have
been propitious. and at the decisive hour
Re had q skiilful head and shrewd
eye-he was able to constitute the Poin-
care ministry.
To-day tho government in France II
wholly tho work OF the Cabinet. The
exercise Of authority consists In talk
ing over questions. in drenching them
with abundant saliva till they are suf-
ficiently macerated to digest. The art
Of politics Is an art Of expression. What
Is there left Of the mailed and mounted
chieftain'' who was once the feudal mas
ter Of the people? When France to-day
wants to say that a certain man has
governmental aptitudes. It says How
well he talks.' The Chambers are the
conservatories in which these oratorical
giants get their training and win their
iaurels.
Talk is the supreme resource-diplo-
macy makes 1t the instrument Of the
worlds peace. NJ. Bourgeois means to
run. Everybody expects him to. At
The Hague, he has held a post Of world
wide importance. He Is known abroad.
esteemed at home. The Radicals have
long wanted him as their leader, and he
Is still at the head OF one faction OF
that party. But he belongs to the Poin-
care ministry. He has broken with
many Of his old friends and 1t Is said
that their feeling toward him is bitter.
In their eyes his merits are defects. and
they desire his defeat on account OF the
very things that have made him SO
popular with tho country.
In the Cabinet there are several distin-
guished men who would make excellent
presidents now or later on II they were
not allied with the same cause. and il
they were not voluntarily effacing them !
selves while awaiting developments and
the more than possible candi- /.
lacy OF their chief. NJ. Raymond Poin- |
care. To see him analyze a question. rip |
I open. and get at the kernel Of II Is an
experience out OF the ordinary. His abili- !
ties as a statesman are in the full glare /
of the limelight. He is young: he Is an
enthusiast. ne Is serious; he 10 not ambl- (
tious. Altogether a unique preparation /,
'or q glorious presidency But will he be
he choice OF the parties OF the Right |
md Extreme Left. which compose the |
majority?
with the presidential election. II this
tradition is to continue. the name of An !
onin Dubost comes 10 the front. He has ,
armed respect and esteem by his broad
his GOODNESS, and his lofty /
Ind unvarying impartiality. But the |
OF Deputies also will be heard
rom. In that case. NJ. Deschanel will
inter the lists. NJ. Deschanel is a born
PRESIDENT. He has fame. tournure. pres
ige. wit. and eloquence: he is perfectly
itted and surrounded: bound TO no party,
he may be elected.
NJ. Ribot is such an important figure in
he republic that he would honor II IL he
hould accept the presidency. To have
pent forty-two years in public life, to
ave been always on the firing-line, al
Ways useful, always honored. even by
he enemy: to have served none but two
auses. and improved them by choosing
nd defending them. and to have reached
he end of a splendid career with a heart
He'd with indulgence. tolerance. and
milling good nature, are claims that
rould take the electors by storm.
Has France ever had the President its
cart desired? NJ Theirs was an EN-
arrassment, Marshal MacMahon en-
arrassed, Jules Grevy defeated Gam
eta, NJ. Carnot was elected instead OF
ules Ferry NJ. Casimir-Perier and NJ.
elk Faure were made victims OF an
bnormal crisis-the wave that over
'helmed them and elected NJ. Loubet
nd NJ. Fallieres.
Fallieres begins to let himself down
asy from the Presidency. He went to ,
.upilIon almost as private person,
raveling in an ordinary train in re-
erved compartment with secretary.
he motor came into play at Bordeaux. ,
10 official reception Of local authorities
,ok place anywhere. He broke a crust
/ Agen. where he used to practice at
10 bar, on his way to his natal borough
Mezin, where he put up to rest at
,e house of an old cousin. and then on !
8 q vigneron to his vines. Ii
lrly haunts as M. le President" He
tires with a good fortune. honestly
ained, to a first-floor fiat in a hand
,me West End street. Nonetneless. !,
Is Official fall of the leaf must bring !,
. melancholy musings. He has been
1der no rent since he succeeded NJ. I
oubet, first as President of the repub-
:, and then as head of the state. he !,
ID a large staff Of trained servants. to i;
hom he paid no wages. and was under
} obligation to board. n
He must sorrowfully reflect that when $
s lease Of Office expires he will no n
nger have private pleasure grounds to b
, about in. He did not care for the b
luds Of state. But after spending (
1,., x.-Sll af.zV l..