Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-21
M. LEssEps AS A RoMANCER.

Since his return to France M. Lesseps
appears to have been inclining more and
more strongly towards a romantic treat
ment of his visit to the United States.
There is discernible in this distinguished
gentleman's temperament tendency to
exaggeration which reminds one of the
historical narratives of the elder Dumas
When the facts do not suit him, it is so
much the worse for the facts. In that case
he surrounds them with a convenient
padding of his own manufacture, and so
presents them to his own public. Some of
his recent utterances as reported are truly
remarkable. Thus he says in letter to
the Figaro that 't all obstacles to the con-
sc struction of the Panama canal have been
"swept away the feasibility of its execu-
60 ton has been demonstrated theoretically
land practically; all impediments have
"been removed by the will of the Ameri-
scan people, unanimously expressed in
"public meetings, and also by the United
&c States Government" And elsewhere
he is made to declare that already three
hundred millions OF francs have been
subscribed for his enterprise in
the United States. Is it thus that
vast projects, requiring the investment of
hundreds of millions of capital, are set
aAoat in these days? Is it really possible
that M. Lesseps relies upon these gross and
fragrant misrepresentation to secure the
confidence of European investors 1t
must be concluded at least that he has
abandoned the hope of obtaining American
cooperation in the work, for otherwise he
would hardly have ventured upon state
ments the untruthfulness of which must
at once be defeated on this side of the
Atlantic. For all who have followed this
subject know very well that NJ Lesseps
did not succeed in convincing the Ameri-
can people of the feasibility of his canal !;
that in San Francisco he broke down hope
lessly under cross-examination, and failed
signally to explain away several objections,
that at Washington, before Congressional
Committee, Captain Eads exposed the
impracticability of his plans for handling
the hood-waters of the Chagres river, and
demonstrated the insuficiency of his canal
for the commerce it is expected to carry !;
that the United States Government has
from the first manifested very cold and
almost positively hostile feeling toward the
enterprise, and that President Hayes
actually revived the Monroe doctrine as
an objection to the prosecution of any
such work under foreign auspices or con-
troll In fact the visit of NJ. Lesseps to
the United States resulted in demonstrat-
ing, first, that he himself had not suffi-
GENTLY informed himself concerning the
difficulties of the undertaking; second,
that his plans were crude, and in many
important respects fatally defective third,
that there is a strong opposition in this
country to the opening of such an inter
oceanic canal by foreigners and fourth,
that the disposition of American capital
lists to put their money into his project is
extremely slender. What good he expects
to do by ignoring all these notorious facts
we do not know, but we are very sure that
by taking the course he has he will not
disarm opposition in this country, or rem
der the accomplishment of the great task
he has set before himself any the easier