Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-05-02
Matter Of Principle
The Moral of Which Lies in
the Application of It..
SIGN FIoANT ACTION OF EUROPE,

And Equally Significant Course OF tn,
United States Regarding the Paris Ex
position-The BTonarchical Powers De
cline to Attend Commemoration o.
the First French Revolution-Whil.
Uncle Sam VIII Have q Double Repre-
sanitation Present-Omcial Notes.
WASHINGTON CITY, May 2-The mex
centennial to be celebrated is the Tooth ami
versary of the fall of the Paris bastile and o.
the establishment of the first republic il
France. The International exposition, who's
events, is to be opened in Paris Sunday next
May s. European advices state that tht
British minister has left Paris so as to avoid
giving countenance by his presence to a cele
bration of a principle and policy which
Great Britain in years gone by spent 9SO0,
600, 600 in making war against. The repre-
sentatives Of all other leading monarchia
powers will be conspicuously absent from thu
diplomatic tribune on the occasion, although
their industries will be fairly represented ir
the exhibition. The diplomatic representa-
ton will be confined to the Swiss republic
a nd the republics of Central and South
America and the United States
We Don't Look at 1t That Way.
Whatever political import has been at
tached to the occasion by the leading govern
ments of Europe has been in no way evaded
by the United States, and after full consid.
GRAFTON it has determined to participate in
the proceedings This government will there
fore be represented not only by Mr.. McLane
United States minister to France, but also
by Perry Belmont, United States minister tc
Spain. The French government has ex
tended to the latter gentleman formal invi
tation to be present in his official capacity,
and Secretary Blaine has cabled him leave OF
absence for the purpose
Why Belmont Goes to Paris.
The significance of this somewhat excep-
tional course lies In the fact that Mr.. Bel
mont was chairman of the house committee
on foreign affairs who reported the bill &C
cepting the invitation of the French govern
ment to participate in the exhibition. In
that report he recognized the political char
acter Of the event by saying: "The people OF
the United States have watched with gratifi-
cation the firmness Of purpose and self.
control with which the French nation has
maintained and increased its hold upon re-
publican institutions in recent times OF
menace and peril The year 1889 will he the
centennial of events in France which
gave impetus to the establishment of re.
publican institutions throughout the world.
II is clearly the duty of the congress of the
United States TO promptly take action upon
the invitation extended and thus proclaim in
the most emphatic manner its approval of
this important project"
A Formal Acknowledgment
The report was adopted and embodied by
the senate committee on foreign relations in
its action, and was made the basis of the ac-
ceptance o. the invitation by the United
States. 1t is understood that political weight
will be given TO the presence of the United
States on this memorable centennial ami.
versary 10y the tender of a formal banquet to
Its representatives