Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-01-12
WHO WILL BE THE FRENCH PRESIDENT? Chamber of Deputies and Senate to Ballot for the
 Chief Executive.
 T1T TAGTAr m ID Ta
VOTERS ELIMINATED
p.oo Has Been Close and Exciting Despite the New Provision
 in Constitution.


 {. France there will be compressa ;nfo four days all the political eX. citament that runs rampant in th' 1rnited States from June to Novem ha, in inc Presidential year. During that period the French nominating hosies will assemble, make choices for inc presidential candidacy an l finally elect the new president.
 The program of this tabloid elect ion is as follows:
 Tuesday. January 14-Parliaman ensembles and the chamber of Deputies elects it's president.
 Wednesday, January 15-A full meeting of the republican party of the Chamber and Senate will be held and a presidential candidate will be selected.
 Thursday, January 16-The Senate will elect its president.
 Friday. January 1.-The SSl mem hers of the Chamber of Deputies and of the French Senate will meet at Versailles and elect new French President.
 This hurry-up method of selecting Chief Magistrate to preside over Ey1,nv nN seven years is due to provision in the French Constitution which takes the election of a President out of the hands of the electorate at large and delegates it to the French Chamber of Deputies and the French Senate sitting in joint session. Be- causo of this provision also, France has been practically rid of the ante election excitement prevalent i'll the United States during a presidential year.
 Despite the lack of direct popular designation, however, rhe preslden- tal race this year has been both close and exciting with nearly dozen candidates of every political complexion swinging into the home stretch for a neck and neck finish. The Republican party, the dominant body in the French Parliment, also has suffered split not unlike the one which split in two the Republl- can parties of the United States, The leading presidential candidates are as follows:
 Emile Combres, former minister; George Clemenceaux, also former prime minister; Antoine Debost' president of the Senate; Paul Des- chtnel, president of the Champer of Deputies; Alexander Ribot' former prime minister; Raymond Poincare. prime minister and minis ter of foreign affairs; M. Declasse' minister of marine, and exPremler Caillaux; Leon Bourgeois, former l prime minister and actual minister ol Labor, and a strong candidate mas refused point blank to consider "ne election. President Fallieries is also Out of the running.
 Before the advent of M. Ribot as a possible candidate for presidenuai honors, M. Poincare, was by far the strongest entrant. Both of these men are staunch leaders of the Re- publican party and the announce ment that both would contend TOT honors is looked upon as creating a situation that may end in the elect- lon of dark horse.
 Disturbed European conoluone have also played large part m the coming election. Pcincare, the prime minister, is thoroughly familiar w'th the Euro can situation and it s urged by men that his elevation to une presidency would jecpardize Frencn affairs abroad. This has brought the name of ex-Premier Clemenceao strongly to he front as candla'e'
 M. Clemenceau is in h's seventy second year and Ribct in his seventy ifst. Age, however, will not miiltate against the chances of election oi ether man as it is customary 10 select men we'll advanced in years nr the French presidency. 'SoCh 1e married to Americans-M. Cle- nenceau to the former Miss Mary Hummer of Connecticut. and M. Rlpo' 70 the former Miss Mary Burch, or Chicago.
 There is also close contest W'ween Antoine Dubost president o' se Senate, and Paul Deschane' resident of the Chamber of Deputies sSeral times France has given presl-
 peles to the presidents of the