Central High School - EN EM Yearbook (North Manchester, IN)

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•• AS VOL' LI KB IT. dragoon for his services in Corsica. His married life is a complex affair over which we would like to draw a veil. He was remarkable. if for no other reason than that no woman was able to resist his marvelous fascination. This seems strange, for he was as ugly as Wilkes and his face was hideously marked by smallpox. When he was in the cavalry he succeeded in winning the heart of the lady to whom his colonel was attached, a fact which led to such scandal that his father had him imprisoned. After being released from this imprisonment, to please his father he married a rich heiress. He quarrelled so much with her that his father again ordered him into exile. It would have been better if he had been kept in close confinement while here, for at this time began the most disgraceful part of his life. He met Marie Thcrese de Monnier. his ••Sophie as he called her. a married woman for whom he conceived a violent passion. The affair ended in his escaping to Switzerland where she immediately followed him on her own accord. Our hero was condemned to death for this aff.iir altho he was in no way to blame. He was seized and imprisoned by the French | lice in the castle of Vincennes where he was kept three and one-half years. With his release from Vincennes begins the second period of Mirabeau's life He found that his ••Sophie was an uncouth, uneducated woman, who had speedily consoled her- If after his departure with an officer of low rank. The sentence of death was still hanging over Mirabeau's head but by the aid of his eloquence he soon procured the repeal of the sentence. Now ! cgan his connection with Madame de Nelvia. a woman much more refined and educated that “Sophie. who sweetened the later years of his life. Altho Mirabeau's fame does not rest upon his literary work, his writings will always be kept and prized highly by the French people. Many of his best efforts were written during his different imprisonments. His first political work, written during his imprisonment at Vincennes, Letters de Catchct on French constitutional history showed that an existing actual grievance was not only philosophically unjust but constitutionally illegal. It was as an orator that Mirabcau takes one of the highest places that history can accord. His eloquence was transcendent when made vivid by his facial expressions. He knew how to move men. for he understood human nature, llis voice was full, manly and sonorous and pleased the car; always powerful and yet flexible, it could be heard as distinctly when he lowered it as when he raised it. When Mirabeau heard of the king's determination to assemble a States General, it became, of course, an object of ambition to him to have a seat in this ilIustruousassembly. He offered at once to assist at the preliminary conference of the noblesse of his district. They defeated him. Mirabcau was not, however, to be defeated. He renounced his rank, became a plebian. solicited the votes of the people, and was elected a deputy both from Marseilles and from Aix. He chose to represent tile latter place. He became, at once, the leader of the States General, because lie always knew his own mind and was prompt in emergencies. To him is attributed the successful consolidation of the National Assembly and the address to the king for the withdrawal of the troops assembled by l»e Broglie When the messenger from the king came to the Assembly with a message that they join the other orders. Mira- l eau answered in his voice of thunder: “We are here by the command of the people and will only disperse by the force of bayonets.” His success from that moment was assured; until his death he was the leader of the Assembly. The Assembly wasted days in useless and foolish debates. Mirabeau remonstrated with them and urged them to spend their time in working for the good of all the citizens. On the ever memorable night of August 4th. when the Assembly decreed the total abolition of feudalism. Mirabcau was not present. When he learned of it there was not a more outraged man in all France. He stigmatized it as an orgy, giving the people theoretical liberty while not assisting them to practical freedom; overthrowing the old regime before a new one could ! c established. No man in France had such clear insight and sagacity. He showed his remarkable forsight when he attacked the dilatory behavior of the Assembly, which led to the catastrophes of October 5th and 6th. He implored the Assembly to strike while the iron was hot. But the Assembly consisted of men inexperienced in practical politics, who wanted to draw up an ideal constitution in imitation of our American constitution and who wasted their time in discussing in what words it should bo expressed, while th country was in a state of starvation and anarchy. Mirabeau was in favor of a government which should be both popular and strong. lie wished to retain the kingdom but desired a constitutional monarchy like that of Kngland. He was very hostile to all feudal institutions and he did not seek to have any of them restored. It was the abolition of feudal privileges which was really the permanent bequest of the French revolution. Mirabeau, altho extravagant himself, doubtless Pago Twenty-Five

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• AS YOU LIKK IT. ” crnmontal experiment stations. Rhode Inland was the first to establish a poultry yard for experimental purposes. The success of the movement is shown from the fact that now the national government and nearly two-thirds of the state stations are considering the poultry industry. Reports of station works have been freely distributed and have been great factors in making Iowa and Ohio the greatest egg producing state in the union. A few years ago farmers gave very little attention to chickens and as one farmer said. • I always considered the “pesky hen” as merely something that one raised from force of habit and never believed that there was any amount of profit in a flock of chickens.” And no wonder! If a person might have taken a peep into this man's back yard he would have seen that his fowls were a mixture of nearly all known varieties.of the past three centuries. But many farmers knew that such “mongrels” yield ed a small profit and reasoned that thoroughbred stock, not necessarily fancy, would yield more. They got a start of special variety and made it a huge success. They cared for them and found out that it cost no more to keep good stock than poor fowls. They received better prices because their produce came up to the market requirements for uniformity in color, shape, size, and flavor of ls»th eggs and fowls. The poultry industry of today is a close rival in actual valuation with other industries, and statistics show that money invested in poultry multiplies much more rapidly than if invested in any other live stock. The causes of the growth and relative importance of this business are many. Besides those already given, may be mentioned the adoption of a standard, whereby each poultryinan may have a definite idea of what they are working for. Knowledge of the laws of scientific feeding has enabled poultry men to feed for meat, plumage, etc. with no waste of material and with less expense, while the good quality of easily manipulated tools saves much time and labor. The tendency of the people to concentrate in large cities has increased the demand for poultry produce, and the numerous car-lines permit of quick transportation from the farms to these centers. Legislation lias also affected the demand for poultry. The oleo-m irgarine law increased the price for pure butter, and consumers have found chicken and gravy a good cheap substitute. The pure food laws in general have lessened the supply of good meat. As the cattle industry of the northwest is curtailed for lack of range, there is a call for smaller meats, but the wild game and fowls are nearly gone and the tish supply is diminishing. Thus we see that the secret of the success of the poultry industry lies in the fact that the supply and demand have increased hand in hand. A few years ago remarks were heard that the poultry business would Ik overdone but time has proved the opposite. Its extent in the future can ouly Ik judged by its growth in the past twenty years. The industry is really only in its formative period, but strong minded men are taking interest in it and a prosperous future is already assured. Teacher (In Geometry)— How many sides has a circle?” Student— Two. Teacher - What are they? Student— Outside and Inside. oMirabeau. Frankt S)t Ank. Mirabeau, that transcendent character of the French Revolution, was oue of the greatest statesmen and orators that France ever produced. He was born at Bignon, near Nemowes on March 9th. He belonged to a noble family of Italian descent. His father. Marquis Mirabeau. was a man of liberal sentiments, not unknown to literary fame. He was very cruel to his son. however, and is said to have had a strong dislike for him. Mirabeau, was not a learned man but he made live of the learning of others and made it burn with the originality of his own powerful genius. During his school days he was carefree and tliot-less, doing only what had to be done and letting the rest go. His early education was conducted bv Lachabeaussierc, who placed him at ••pension militarie” at Paris. If Mirabeau was ambitious in his youth, it was for a successful military career. Just after he left school, he received a commission in the cavalry regiment of the Marquis dc Lambert, which his grandfather had commanded years lK fore. Later, he obtained leave to accompany as a volunteer. the French expedition which was to effect the reduction of Corsica. The conquest was one of sheer numerical strength, for the whole population was on the side of Poli. Mirabeau. per-cciving the value of public opinion is said to have written a treatise on the oppression which the Genoese had formerly exercised over the island. The government was ready to publish the pamphlet had not the Marquis de Mirabeau seen lit to destroy it because of its divergence from his own political views. Mirabeau was made captain of Pago Twonty-Four

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•• AS YOU LIKK IT. ’ loathed the excesses ot the revolution. Now the all absorbing question wa»—“Money. The national credit wa gone and no more money could be raised by taxation. No man in France had Huch a horror of bankruptcy as Mirabcau and his eloquence was never more convincing nor commanding but it achieved nothing. Finally. Talleyrand. an unscrupulous priest, suggested that the nation confiscate tjie church. Mirabcau was opposed to this, hut the Assembly such was the urgent need of money decreed that the church property should be put at the disposal of the state. This did not do the good that it was expected to do. At this time. April 2nd. 1701. Mira beau died, worn out with labors and passions, weakened by his youthful follies and perhaps, as some claim, by poison. The grief with which the Assembly received the news of his death was shared by the whole of France. Mirabcau regretted his early life for he said that he felt that he alone could save France from the distrust of her monarch and the catastrophe. When Mirabcau entered the Assembly, he was mistrusted, feared and despised by the majority of people, for his moral character was bad. Hut he was kind hearted, generous, made friends and used them till nearly all respected and loved him. Nearly all of the earlier writers aiul also the writers of the present day say that Mirabcau. had lie lived, could have prevented the dreadful outrage. The Panama Canal Audn Hoover. The first conception of a canal across the Isthmus of Panama is almost concident with Balboa's discovery of the Pacific Ocean in 1513. Since 1820 that idea has been assuming definite form and actual work has been done on a canal between Panama and Colon. As early as 1555 we find the navigators propounding the question of a short route to India and the western coast of America, by digging a canal somewhere across the narrow neck of land which joins North and South America. The canal question was one of the subjects proposed for discussion hi Clay's instructions to our representatives to the Panama Congress of 1826. This was the first definite step taken by the United States. Clay did not propose to give the benefits exclusively to the United States but toall nations on condition that they lend their aid to the construction of the canal. Hut our commissioners never reached the Congress and the project was not. therefore, raised. Other early efforts were put forth for the construction of a canal not alone by the government of the United States but by other nations, in 1828 jBolivar, president of Colombia, put forth efforts to construct a roadway between the two oceans. And in 182 ), the king of the Netherlands secured arrangements with Central America for a private company for the cutting of a canal, opened on the same terms to all nations. Tiie congress of the United States began to act on the question again in 1835. taking active measures. The senate adopted a resolution requesting the president to enter into negotiations with the governments of other countries, especially with Central America and Colombia for the pur-posc of protecting those who might attempt the opening and insuring “free and equal navigation by all nations.' Jackson and Van Burcn commit-sioned.agents to Panama in 183b and 183 ) but without permanent results. In 184b, the United States succeeded in making a treaty with Colombia, which put into effect the previous resolution of Congress, this treaty gave the United States the right of way across the Isthmus of Panama by any means of communication that then existed or that might afterwards be constructed. On the side of the United States, perfect neutrality of the isthmus was guaranteed and the rights of sovereignty of Columbia over the territory was extended to the Colombian government. England had been watching the proceedings of United States with jealous eyes, and the affair almost resulted in a war between the two countries. because the British laid claim to the coast of Panama and were themselves thinking of another route across the istlim(iThey finally formed a treaty with the United State- fora joint protection over the proposed canal. Neither country could colonize or erect fortifications. This treaty also provided for the neutrality of the canal. It was ratified but the countries afterward quarreled over the article stating that neither country should exercise any dominion over Central America, as the countries of Central America were in favor of the interpretation given by the United States. England was forced to come to terms. The Civil war of 1861 stopped the further progress of the quest ion for a time but the treaty was still considered binding. The question did not come up in the United States again until 1872 and from that time until 1880 many careful surveys were made. In ls7‘). the concession was secured from Colombia by which the old Panama canal company obtained the right to excavate a canal between Panama and Colon With this concession, active work was carried on from 1883 Page Twenty-Six