The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-16
Paris Does Surprising Thing in
Electing Follower of
Bonapartists.
BY LA NARauIsE DIE FoNrENoY.

BY LA HARQUISE DIE FONTENOY,
n view OF the fact that Paris has
originated every revolutionary
movement that has brought about
change of government in France. II
is not without Significance that the new
president OF the Municipal Council OF
the metropolis. that is to say. the
bursomaster- in chief and mayor OF the
entire capital. is NJ. Chassaiene-Q oyon.
an avowed Bonapartlst, and for many
years past tho intimate friend, conf
dant and adherent OF Prince Victor
Napoleon. the Bonapartist pretender
He owes his presidency, not to an
pointment. but to the election of his
fellow citizens. and above all to his
fellow members of the Municipal Coun-
Gil.
If any one ten or twenty years ago
mad predicted that the Municipal Coun-
Gil OF Paris. which was regarded as a
noticed OF the most advanced radical
ism. and even socialism. would elect
for Its president an avowed adharent
OF the Bonaparte dynasty. which was
overthrow after the battle of Sedan
just forty-three years ago. he would
have been covered with ridicule But
stranger things have come to pass;
and now that there Is a Bonapartist
president Of the Municipal Council at
the Hotel de Vile In Paris, there Is
no reason whatsoever why there should
not be a Royarst president of the
Chamber of Deputies. or of the Senate
Incidentally. 1 may mention that tho
Municipal Council OF Paris, as if to
exculpate Itself of any charge of re-
dictionary tendencies In electing NJ.
Chassaigne -Goyon as its president. has
by unanimous vote accorded NUM-
cipal franchise to women, who will
from henceforth be qualified to take
part III the election OF the city fathers.
This Is most important move, es-
pecially when one remembers the role
which the women OF Paris played in
the great revolution OF 1893. and dur
Ing the commune In 1871. 1t is bold
experiment. indeed, to grant votes to
go turbulent a body as the celebrated
marketwomen of Parasitic Danes de
! la Halle,
Every reader OF French history will
rccalle the manner In which Charlotte
noble French house of d'Armont. rid
her country In 1893 of the tyrsnt
Marat. the most bloodthlrsty terrorist
OF the great revolution, by forcing her
way into his house and stabbing him
to death in his bath. She had been
driven to this by her horror as she
thought OF the countless thousands of
guillotine In Brittany, the Calvados In
the south of France, and in Paris it
self She paid the penalty of her act
on the scafrold. but Is held In kindly
memory as a heroine throughout the
whole land of France, by reason OF her
fervent and enthusiastic patriotism.
It comes, therefore, as shock to
learn that her skull. that Is to say,
the head which was curt off by tho
guiNotine, is preserved a curio by
the sol distant prince" Roland Bona
parte. and figures on a small stand
under 4 glass shade In the great IL
brary OF his house In Paris. as an OBJ
ject of brio -brac, as which 1t will
have been shown to Rear Admiral
Peary, the discoverer OF the North
Pole. ut the reception given In his
honor by Roland Bonaparte, In his ca
pacity as president OF the Geological
Society OF France. during the ex-
plorer's recent stay in Paris.
The skull Is a relatively recent ac-
QUESTION to the collection OF Roland
Bonaparte. and is said to have cost
him the sum OF $4,000 francs. But
while there are some OF his fair guests
with ncw-fedged monarchical lean
ings who compel him to remove the
glass shade in order that they may
imprint a kiss of affected generation
upon the skull of poor Charlotte, the
vast majority of Royalists. and in