The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-01
Name Of "Collignon" Against
New Secretary-General
at the Palace.
BY LA MARoUIsE DE FnNTENoY.

BY LA HARQC1SE DE FONTENOf.
- Resident Fall:eres in appointing
Governor Of the Department Of
the Finistsrre. TO the post OF
secretary.generala at the Elysee Palace.
In succession to the late ". Ramondou.
who died so very suddenly the other
day. invites ridicule.
Not but what NJ Collignon. who is
a tall, handsome. stately looking man
of hfty-fve. is very capable and thor
oughly qualified to ill this post. which
equals II IL does not surpass IN lmpof-
:ance that of private secretary to the
President OF the United states.
But IL Is tine name OF "ColliSnon
which is against the man. For II IS
the generic and popular nickname or
the Partisan cabnlan. especially OF the
disreputabic nighthawk, and when any
one wishes TO set even with hack
man for overcharg!ns. or merely 10
get a rise out of him, he has only 70
apply to him the epithet OF Coiltsnon,'
which causes him to positively foam
at the mouth with fury.
Coliignon, / should say by way OF
explanation, is the name OF a capman
who during the reign of Napoleon H.
was guiliotined for robbing and muir
dering an extraordinarily large num-
Der OF his fares in the deserted by
streets OF the city. and in the dark
side avenues of the Bois de Boulogne
Since then his name has always ceen
considered as the greatest term OF
opprobium which can be applied 10 ans
Paris hackman.
The vehicles which they drive are
known az fiacres, which are gradually
being superseded by the tax!cab. ana
the more complimentary manner OF
designating the hackmen Is to describe
them as Knights Of the Order OF Saint
saint. He is canonised Scottish
prince. and the connection between the
cabdrivers and this scion Of Caledon,an
dral Of Meaux. is owing to the fact
that when hackney carriages We're IN
troduced at Paris, In 1850. the stables
and cf'ices Of the enterprising COMPANY
owning the concern were IN Duilolne
in the Rue st. Martin. which. having
been previously used as hospital. was
decorated with a gigantic mural paint
ing Of ST. Fiacre. 1t Is due to THIS
that ever since all Partisan cabs are
styled fiacres.
President Fallieres and his partic-
ular Collignon are no strangers. for
the latter was his private secretary
when he, Fallieres. was Prime Minis
ter in 1888. and he served Premiers
Waldeck-Rousseau and GobeIet IN
similar capacity.
President Fallieres, by the by. has
rented an apartment In the Rue fran
co.'s l., to which he will move on the
completion Of his term OF once az
president on February II. having AL
ready announced that under no cir
cumstances would he accept reelection
The apartment consists Of Ave bed
rooms. two drawing-rooms and large
dining room, Is situated on the ntst
floor. and will cost NJ Fallieres about
$2,53O a year in rent Ex- president
Loubet lives on the other SIDE OF the
immortal Der~
sonage ever visits Paris without max
ing a point of calling upon him frere.
auropos of royal visits to Paris.
President Fallieres is once again the
subject of no end Of popular criticism
and abuse; owing to the s n..S a. eh the
State reception Of the Russian Grand
duke Nicholas Eicholaievttch and MS
suite in Paris the other day. The car
riage in which the grandduke nimseli
drove through the streets Of Paris on
his arrival was only passable. Hut
the vehicles which followed. contain,
ing General Baron Kaulbars. ana az
the other Russian dignitaries. dateo
from the time of the Second Empire,
of the crowd lining the streets 10
watch the procession pass. Even the
most sturdy Republicans are agreed
that no Chief Magistrate Of France
republic, forty-two years ago. has ever
done things SO manifestly on the cheap
as the present incumbent OF the once.
Emperor William. on leaving swift
zerland, not only presented large
ident Forrer, and to n Hoffman. the
member of the Federal Council at the
head Of the Helvetian War Department,
but likewise bestowed decorations ana
n
cipal onicers Of the Swiss army. and
5eweled scarf-pins. rings and sleeve
links, in addition thereto. upon those
who had been assigned to his immedi-
ate service during the three days stay
on Swiss territory.
Now Article XII Of the Swiss Con-
stitution runs as follows: No members
of the departments of the Federal gov.
eminent, civil and military omctals OF
the Confederation. or FEDERAL repre-
sentatives or commissioners, shall re-
cesve from any foreign government any
pension, salary. title, gift or decora- :
ton. II such persons are already IN
the possession Of pensions. titles or
decorations. they must renounce the en-
ioyment Of their pensions and the bear
ing of their titles and decorations dur
ing their continuance IN once NO
eign government shall be worn in the
Federal army. No ofncer. non.commis.
stoned oflicer. or soldier, shall accept
such a distinction"
The Swiss law Is. therefore. very
explicit. and as il forms part and par
eel Of the Constitution, Il cannot be
altered. save by means Of an amend
ment Of the latter. which requires the
consent Of every one OF the Cantons
or autonomous States comprised In the
Confederation known IS the Swiss Re-
public
gifts OF the Emperor. from the presi-
dent and his fellow co-equal members
of the Federal Council. down to the
pr;vaees who did sentry duty at the
where the Kaiser made his headquar-
tiers. will be obliged either to return
the gifts Of one kind and another
which they have received from him or
to Immediately sever their connec-
.;.- ~-;,S she serric. ~ The govern.