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Show T CHARLES J. BONAPART. (Boston Republic.) From Washington comes the news that President Presi-dent Roosevelt may appoint Charles .T. Bonaparte to be a member of the new cabinet to be formed for the presidential term commencing next Alareh. The eminent Baltimore lawyer, 'grand-nephew of the great Napoleon, is recognized as one of the ablest lawyers of the country. ITis personality has been a figure in American politics for a great many years and the mere mention of his name as a possible pos-sible appointee has brought from the .press of all .'- -!vri-x!y&t-ii&.?3i'zx?x& cities and sections praise that shows how universally universal-ly respected Mr. Bonaparle is by the exacting critics crit-ics and students of American affairs. Charles .1. Bonaparte is a Catholic, the friend and legal adviser of Cardinal Gibbons. Church authorities au-thorities have ranked him the leading lay member of the church in America. Thus it will be seen by Republic, readers that it is very probable President Roosevelt will welcome to his cabinet another Catholic. Cath-olic. Postmaster General Wynne is an Irish Catholic, Cath-olic, Mr. Bonaparte, as his name plainly indicates, is of French descent. Two Catholic members of the cabinet would be something new; it has been a rarity to have, at long intervals, even one. It was Wynne, the Irish Catholic, who exposed the graft in the postoffice department; it. was Bonaparte, the French Catholic, who prosecuted the cases before be-fore the courts and made the convictions possible. Upon the shoulders of the two men rested the responsibility re-sponsibility of executing the president's purpose, to punish those guilty of graft. It would be a coincidence co-incidence highly pleasing to friends of. good government, gov-ernment, and to Catholics especially, if Bonaparte joins Wynne in the cabinet. The president would have as counsellors two men eminently fitted to serve the best interests of the country and con tribute to the individual success President Roosevelt Roose-velt aims to achieve in the next four years. : Much is known of Charles ,T. Bonaparte, yet he is known but little ta the people at large, especially the Catholic laity. The lawyers know him as a leader of the American bar: statesmen know him as a sagacious advisor; politicians know him as a great, stickler for honest methods; the college world knows him as a trustee of Harvard university; univers-ity; the leading citizens of the big cities know him as a public speaker whose words are copied everywhere: every-where: Baltimore knows him as a citizen of that community respected by all his fellow citizens; Maryland knows him as a man whose influence has swayed many able man among remarkable men. "Charlie the crook-chaser" was the. nick name bestowed be-stowed on him earlier in life. He was so relentless in his hunting down of men dishonest in municipal politics and the government affairs of Baltimore that the men he hunted sarcastically conferred the title of "crookchasor." President Roosevelt knew his man when he chose Mr. Bonaparte to investigate the postal and Indian frauds. When both were younger men they fought the battles of civil service reform together. Outwardly they are as unlike as as D'Artagnan and Richelieu, but the same ideas and ideals and theories and motives govern each. Mr. Roosevelt is a fighter on his own account a physical fighter, that is, with sword and gun. Mr. Bonaparte has done-no fighting of this sort, but a certain grand-uncle grand-uncle of his did, and the strain has not died out. The battles of the latter day Bonaparte have been aganst the wind-mills of corruption and breach of public trust. The family tree of-Charles d. Bonaparte Bona-parte is interesting, though the opening chapters are filled with pathos. Jerome Bonaparte, brother of Napoleon, was on his way home from the West Indies and stopped at Baltimore for a few days. The leading Baltimore citizen was named Patterson. Patter-son. Jerome Bonaparte became his guest for a brief period. Elizabeth Patterson, daughter of the host, was a beautiful girl and the emperor's brother fell in love with her. - They were married, but when-the emperor heard of the marriage he was furious. His ambitions called for the marriage of his' brothers to princesses of royal houses, that the imperial structure he' built could be strengthened. A few years later the emperor forced his brother to consent con-sent to a divorce and Elizabeth Patterson returned to Baltimore with her infant son, Jerome. Mme. Bonaparte was practically disowned by her stern, father, who had strenuously opposed the marriage. The infant son proved a sagacious business man and amassed a considerable fortune. Jerome Bonaparte Bona-parte had two sons. The oldest, when he became of age, went, to France and joined the French army, lie died with a score of medals and decorations on his breast. The other, Charles J., is the. man now-spoken now-spoken of as a possible member of the Roosevelt cabinet. , Mr. Bonaparte graduated from the Harvard iaw school at the age of 2o and tit once settled in bis native city. Baltimore. He developed rapidly and at 30 was rated a leading member of the Maryland bar. He closely resembles his grand uncle, though he takes no pride in that fact.. He is cool in demeanor, de-meanor, but his features denote a grim determination determina-tion to be merciless in prosecuting an examination, a campaign of reform, or the unraveling of wrongdoings. wrong-doings. The politicians of both the great parties in Maryland hate him bitterly; the people, while they do not carry the liking to what is called love for a popular man, respect him to such an extent that his endorsement of a candidate sways thousands thou-sands of votes. Mr. Bonaparte is a Republican. In the recent election the party leaders prevailed oil him to serve as an elector; Maryland has eight electors. elec-tors. The state went Democratic, but Mr. Bonaparte Bona-parte was chosen as an elector. His vote was larger than that given the seven successful Democratic elector It was a remarkable tribute to the worth of a man. Mr. Bonaparte is 53 years old and resides re-sides ajt Baltimore. He. has acted as counsel in many Arpat cases and his legal services are in de-(! nian'd by the biggest concerns of the country. ' '.' ' i I..I.IHII I I U.IIHIM ll.lll I. IUJI IH1. I II IJ . I Jill 111, l.lll.JWUIJI,. |