M. ROUVIER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 97, 14 June 1911, Page 3

M. ROUVIER.

AN EVENTFUL CAREER. The late M ar.rice Rouvier, whoso .] e nth was recently reported, was born it Aix, in Southern Franco, on April 17, 1812. He was the Gladstone or Gampbell-Baimorman of France, the epresentative, that is, of a policy of peace, entente eordia'le, free trade, .rood finance, and no aggression. His father kept a small grocer’s shop at Marseilles, and though illiterate, was a remarkable man from whom his son, the future Premier of Franco, inherited most of the qualities which ultimately brought him to the head of the ■'ita.te. His mother was remarkable inly for the volubility of her natural eloquence, a gift which her son inherited, as his opponents know to their cost. He was a precocious boy, and although the father had lacked ■duration, ho spared no effort to .quip his clover son for the battle of life. Young Rouvier learned to read it a dame’s school, but though •lover, ho did not distinguish himself at school, and gave no indication of the important part which ho i\as to play in the history of his country. In 1859, when the French Empire was busily engaged in foundag modern Italy, Maurice Rouvier, ■l the ige of seventeen, went into i usines. as corresponding clerk of a Peek incss linn. After a time he ip*»ii.a nimself to the study of the law. He also made his mark in journalism, and ultimately as editor of TEgaiite” became a political power ai tSo city. When Rouvier was in die twenties, the Third Empire was ■caring its end, and ho found, a wide veld for the exercise of his southern gilt of speech in criticising and denouncing tile mistakes of the Govern meat. While so employed ho a'ttra- fcd the attention of Gamhetta, win . r.o assisted in electing for Marseil . m 1809 . When the Empire fell w -1 a crash in 187 U, and Gapibotta line took to rally the nation against German invaders, M. Rouvier was [ pointed Secretary-General of the lecture of Marseilles. He was oi the first to profit by the oyertuv .in French politics, and lie was the' ily twenty-eight. It was a stormy no. In the north and cast the Gormans, were supreme. In the great cities the revolutionary fires that blazed afterwards in the Commune wore smouldering. The Civic Guard of Marseilles got out of hand, and Rouvier, without experience and without capable assistants, found himself face to face with a revolutionary mob. Ho faced them with courage, tore, down tlio black Hag with his own hands, am' gave proof that lie could answer order and assert the authority .• •n . 'executive Government. A ‘yea. ..l"” when the National Assembly was inoncd to ratify the terms of ) -.mo unci take over the Government of Fiance, he stood for Marseilles, but was defeated. He was, however, too considerable a man to bo passed over. He remained at Marseilles while the National Assembly and tiie Commune were in death grips, but later was returned, as Deputy for Dos Benches tin Rhino, taking his seat with the extreme left. He was young and poor, but had boundless ambition. Ho was not a man of much culture, nad if the Fates in; their beneficence had net piovidoci him with a good fairy in the shape of a good wife, probably little would have been heard of M. Rouvier. In ISSI ho was-calHcl to oflicc, becoming Minister of Commerce in Gambotta’s Administration. The Ministry fell in the following year, and Rouvier fell with it, but during bis short period of office ho had made Ins mark. In 1886 ho was sent to Rome to negotiate a commercial convention, and when M. Goblet’s Government fell, in the following year, President..Gre vy, finding, himself confronted with the menacing ambitions of General Boulanger, sent for Rouvicr and asked him to form a Cabinet. Ellis was in the summer of 1887. Rou- , isr displayed characteristic nerve in forming his Administration, and when he faced the Chamber with a fullblown Administration, ho met with a stormy reception. With the help of the Right, however, he was successful in triumphing over his Radical opponents. But his term of office was brief. When the Wilson scandal brought about the downfall of President Gievy, Rouvier was involved in the clash. Ho escaped without any personal discredit, and had established Ins reputation as a man of epurage and decision. From 1889 to 1892 he held the portfolio of 'Minister of Finance in three successive Cabin-Ts For icc years after this ho occupied a position of comparative obscurity. He took an active part in the famous Dreyfus case, being a strong supporter of the unfortunate officer. In 1902 he returned to office as a member of the Combes Ministry, filling tiic post of Minister of Finance. When M. Combes fell there was a momentary hesitation, but it soon became evident that lus only possible successor) was M. Rouvier. This was in 1905, and Rouvier continued to rule the destinies of Franco till the following year, when his Government was defeated in the Church and State question.