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Show IS NEW PREMIER OF FRANCE. Aristide Briand Has Risen Rapidly to Foremost Place In the European Euro-pean Republic. Paris. Aristide Briand, successor to Georges Clemenceau as premier of the French government, was promoted promot-ed a few months ago from the office of minister of public instruction and public worship to that of minister of justice. He was considered for some time the natural successor of Clemenceau Clemen-ceau in the event of that minister's suddenly relinquishing his leadership. M. Briand is one of the strongest men in French public life, in the opinion of many observers. He is an orator of extraordinary power and persuasiveness persua-siveness and has been in parliament Aristide Briand. Dnly since 1902, thus winning his way io the top in the short space of seven years. He started out in life as a lawyer In a small country town and when he went to Paris .turned to journalism rather than law, becoming In course of time editor of La Lan-terne, Lan-terne, one of the principal radical papers pa-pers of the capjtal. Aristide Briand is 47. years of age. He has risen very rapidly from the ranks of politicians to a foremost place in the government. A few years ago he was hardly known, except ex-cept among the members of his own party, the revolutionary Socialists. He was appointed reporter of the church and state separation bill and soon became recognized as a high authority au-thority on the subject. He aimed to draw up a bill broadly liberal in spirit, spir-it, but devoid of fanaticism and designed de-signed to assure freedom of worship and of conscience. The result was his elevation to the post of minister of public instruction and worship in 1906. During the church and state troubles he appears to have acted with firmness and moderation and after the death of M. Guyot-Des-saigne, December 31, 1907, he was appointed minister of justice, retaining retain-ing the portfolio of worship. |