Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1913-01-20

II
HB ident In the United States
and the calm that accompanies
the choice of president In France. The
difference may be studied now. for on
January II, 1913. new head OF the
French Republic will be chosen.
The election Of a president OF the
French Republic causes no commouon
that can be compared with the excite
ment of presidential election In the
United States. The event arouses IN
terest, OF course, but the normal life
of the nation is In no way modined.
Up to the present time a stranger VS.
iting France would not suspect from
the newspapers or from public talk
that the election was to be held with
in a few weeks. II he stayed here
long enough and visited certain GEN.
tiers he would hear whispers OF plots
rumors for instance of great Bona
partist demonstration to be made on
election day. But beyond such things
he would observe few signs that a
presidential campaign was In prog
ress.
The excitement of the choice OF a
president is mostly conferred on the
day of the election itself. Thus on
the morning of January II next crowd
ed trains will carry to Versailles. a
town that teens with souvenirs OF
kingly pomp, the officials OF the sen
ate and chamber, members OF the cab
met, number of deputies and sena'
tors, regiment of newspaper men
and crowds of spectators which Will
be large or small according to the
weather. Some forty Baudot trans
mitters, thirty Hughes instruments
and about fifty telephones have been
installed In the old home OF royalty
for the occasion. Stately rooms once
the salons of kings and queens re
sound with a thousand imperative
clickings and tappings, and the whole
= palace, usually deserted and meian
choly, Is full of confusion. No doubt
Versailles was chosen as the place fol
electing the republics presidents tt
emphasize the lesson that the new
order has taken the place Of the ole
and that the ceremony should be helt
In a solemn and fitting setting, fal
from popular uproar. At any rate
law passed in 1879 DEGREES that thu
national assembly shall meet in Yer
sailles in hall of the palace specially
reserved as the congress hall.
.'vote In Common"
The national assembly is. according
to the French constitution, "a meet
ing of the chamber of deputies ant
the senate, to deliberate and vote II
common" This national assembly cal
only meet for two objects, to elect
president and to revise the constitu
ton. When the presidency Of the re
public becomes vacant by death o.
resignation or any other cause the tive
houses meet Immediately and form al
assembly to elect a new president
When there is no vacancy but thu
seven years of the incumbent ar
about to expire, as In the present cas-
with President Fallleres, the nationa
assembly must meet at least on'
month before the expiration of hi
term. and II the assembly is not dull!
convoked the two houses must meet
in their own right. on the fifteenth
day before the presidents mandate
expires.
II the chamber of deputies shoul'
happen to be dissolved at the momen
of the death or resignation OF tn,
president the senate must meet, In Ii
own right, and the cabinet. which ex
ercises the executive power In the In
term. must convoke the electoral col
leges to proceed to the election OF
new chamber of deputies.
As there are 800 senator's and al
most 600 deputies, the national as
sembly numbers 1877 members. TIL
president of the senate (now Antonil
Dubost, a possible candidate) pre-
sides. When M. Fallieres was elect
ed on January II. 1906, he receives
4s9 votes, against 81 given to Pau
Doumer, with total of $50 voters. s
that he only obtained thirteen vote
more than the absolute majority requ
site for election.
Luxurious Restaurant.
The life of the assembly on the da
of q presidential election only begin
after lunch. The president OF the ser
ate, the president Of the chamber an
he minister's have many guests. an