The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-22

NHtiCnts id - 10
not necessary to seek her In the sensa-
tlonal tragedy that has brought about
the downfall OF the two most powerful
members Of the Cabinet during the past
week In Pnrs Nine. Joseph Caillaux
made no attempt 10 conceal herself. In
deed. she may be said TO have sought
popular attention. even courtcd
notoriety-by the public manner In
which she shot down CASTOR Cslmette.
editor of the Figaro on Monday last
thereby killing one " the most brilliant
journalists Of Continental Europe. wreck
Ing the career Of her husband AID irc.-
. dentally preclpitating q po.lt,ai 81 SIS
OF the gravest character.
While Mime. Caillaux. now a prisoner
at st. Lszare--a jail the very name Of
which spells such infsmy as to cause a
shudder to all decent women. associated
as II IL with everything that is vilest Of
their sex--enjoys the distinction OF be-
ing the first OF the political ladies OF the
. present regime In France to resort to
. murder, II must be confessed that the
daughters Of Eve have been the bane OF
the Third Republic in this sense: that
they have been the ruin OF long list
Of its most shining lights and of It's
most conspicuous figures.
Gambetta would undoubtedly have
reached the goal of his ambition had II
not been for his unfortunate lla.son with
. Mile. Lconie Leon. And he was alone
with her when In endeavorlng to wrcst
from her the revolver with which she
was attempting to commit suicide he
received that accidental wound to which
he succumbed barely twenty -four hours
nftarwarl ,,l,A
shall be nameless'. who played n role In
the shocking and sudden death OF Presi-
dent Felix Faure at the Palace OF the
Elysce, while the disgrace OF Gen. de
Cissey and the loss OF his Office as Min
is.er OF War during the Pres dency %
MacNshon we're caused by his infatua-
ton FOR the notorious Baroness DC
kaulla. who, carrying on espionage on
behalf OF Germany. was accustomed to
have the contents OF his portfolio sur
reptitiouslv copied for transmission to
Berlin while he was engaged in lunch
ing with her every Thursday just after
leaving the Cabinet council.
Gen. Boulanger. at one moment y.r-
tual master of France and the idol OF
the people. sacrificed everything for the
sake Of his mistress, Nine de Bonne-
mains. on whose grave. in The cemetery
at Brussels. no finally blew out his
brains. n completely discredited and
d,shororcd man. The late Caslinir Pc
ficrs sensational and mysterious rcsig-
nation OF the Presidency OF the republic
barely six months after his cleo
ton is generally asCr,bcd to a feminine
intrigue: and II was The Jisgraccfal
traffic OF Mime. Limousln In the crosses
OF the Legion ~ Honor. IL wh,cl, Daniel
Wilson. a member oc the Chamber Of
Deputies. was liner minated. that COM
PEELED his fathcr-ln-law. Jules Grevy,
with whom he made his home at the
Elysee Palace. 10 retire. broken in spirit
and in reputation from the Chief Magis-
tracy Of the republic. ri, full years be-
fore the conclusion Of his term.
Then there was Lconold Flourens.
who was obliged tn surrender the port
folio of Minister OF Foreign Affairs ow-
ing to the indiscrce' chatter OF his
wife while In the company 81 ladies
Of the German Embassy. through which
Cabinet secrets ~ the utmost impor-
lance became known at Berlin. giving
rise to all sorts of complications with
the Russian Government.
Etiennc Clemcntcl. after having heen
Nice-Presidcnt Of the Chamber of Depu-
lies. found II necessary to resign the
post OF Minister OF The Colonies In con-
sequence Of the discovery a few days
after his marriage that the transa tlan-
tic lady TO whom he had accorded his
name was burdened with anteccdents
of the stormlest character. antecedents
20 unpleasant that he abandoned her
within week and found no difficulty
in securing divorce on the ground that
he had been subjected TO the CROSSE 81
kind OF deception. while Paul Challemel
I.acour, in turn Minister OF Foreign
.\Tairs and President Of the French
Senate. had to be recalled from his pos,
AS Ambas sador TO the Court Of st. Jane $
owing to the scandal caused by the rev.
citation OF his elatlons with n woman OF
rather humble rank--an infatuation OF
years, but which might never have be.
come known in London had II not beer
for the Marquise de NJ. the wife Of one
Of the secretaries OF his mission who
saw fit to proclaim the matter every.
where, until 1t reached the ears OF Queer
Victoria.
These are only few of the dozens
~ instances of an analogous nature
that could he cited TO show the nu-
merous shipwrecks of brilliant careers
that have been brought about by womer
since the birth OF the present republic
= 1870.
In France IL IL Necessary that states.
men should be particularly circums pee
in their dealings with the fair sex. Fol
every one OF any note In public life 1,
subjected by the secret police 10 con
slant watchfulness and nnremittint
scrutiny, as II n dangerous criminal.
statesman Is shadowcd by day and b,
night and the reports OF every short
coming, every weakness, great ant
small, Of every intimacy that he forms
Of all his habits and peculia rifles, ar,
added to his "dossier" at the Prefecture
du Police and at the Bureaux OF tn
Surete Generate OF the Minister Of tn
Interior, where IL IL at the disposal O
the Cabinet officer who happens to b
at the head OF that department and a
that OF the Premier
These dosslers constitute a terr!bl
Weapon IN the hands OF the Governmen,
TO which they give ht Id on many q
iis adversaries. II the contents wer
known TO but a few persons It would no
be 20 bad. But with the continual change
OF Cabinet, Mt the rate Of almost one 4
every twelve months. necessarily man