FALLIERES, ARMAND, 8th Presi dent -of the French Republic. He was born at Mezin, Lot-et-Garonne, in 1841, and after his preliminary education took up the study of law. His first promi nent public position was as mayor of Nerac, following on which he was in 1876 elected as member of the Chamber of Deputies, where he sat with the re publicans. His career in the chamber showed him to be possessed of much solid talent, and in 1880 he was appointed to act as Undersecretary in the Ministry of the Interior, holding that position dur ing the Ferry administration till the beginning of 1882. After an interval he became, toward the end of the same year, head of the department under Du clerc, becoming in 1883 Minister of Pub lic Instruction in the Ferry administra tion. When in 1887 Rouvier succeeded, he became Minister of the Interior, and was later (1887-1889) Minister of Jus tice and Public Instruction under Tirard, holding that position later under Frey cinet, who was head of the administra tion from 1890 to 1892. In 1890 Fal• hires entered the Senate and gained much distinction in that chamber. In 1899 he was elected President of the Chamber, being re-elected eight times in succession. In the elections of 1906 he
was put forward by the Socialists and Republicans as their candidate for Pres ident to succeed Loubet, easily winning over Downer, who had the support of the Conservative elements. In January of the same year he was elected by the National Assembly by 449 votes to 371, assuming office as President in Febru ary. He held the office till succeeded by M. Poincare in 1913. As President he gave support to the same principles and tendencies that had secured his adhesion during his public life, favoring the radi cal elements, and opposing the royalists and conservatives. The first year of his presidency was signalized by much pub lic excitement, due to the resistance of religious associations to conform their organization to certain rules issued by the Government, which as a result com pelled the evacuation of many churches, convents, and monasteries. In 1909 Fal lieres, in conjunction with the Cabinet, formed a separate Ministry of Labor.