The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-19

qualities necessary In a business man.
| The latter forgot that manners, heart,
| light wit and exterior very often conceal.
| especially in a Frenchman, many more
| serious and strong qualities, even business
| qualities, which, when well developed,
| make him the best business man in the
| world, uniting the steadness and care
| fulness OF the Northern with the push
| and go, the enthusiasm and enterprising
! spirit of the Southern races. Forgetting
| all this, say any one might have taken
! NJ. De Lesseps, at first. more for man
J OF Imagination and conception than for
| one OF execution. for a man full OF energy,
not stopping, or being hindered by any
| obstacle, but relying more on his star
and his luck than on his reflection TO
| overcome and annihiate difficulties In his
way.
During the lunch I could not possibly
| form any opinion or NJ. Charles de Les
| seps, who sat at the other end OF the
| table listening to his father as TO an
| oracle, keeping silent with the utmost
admiration. Afterwards, the conference
on the Canal OF Panama" took place
at the Town Theatre. On the stage,
very near the fOotlights, large table
was brought, and behind 1t three Grim
son velvet arm-chairs were placed. Count
| De Lesseps took the middle one, while
| the president OF the "COmite Depart
mental" sat on his right. and his son on
his left. Back of them, nailed on the
paper walls Of the room, which had been
used as scenery the night before, were
very large maps, surveys and plans OF
the isthmus OF Panama, with cuts OF
the works, showing the present state OF
the enterprise and the workings OF the
lock system, recently adopted and con-
sidered absolutely necessary Tor the
achievement OF the canal. in due time
under the direction OF the well-known
engineer, NJ. Einel The entire theatre
was packed and crammed TO the very
top-boxes, circles, galleries and seats
I'm fact, every vacant space was filled TO
overfowing, with men and women walt
ing in that wild anxiety which Is the
Instructive feeling of every stakeholder
I'm an enterprise, VINO, waVering In his
confidence, tries anything and everything
10 recover his lost faith.
With the exception of very few mem
bors Of the aristocracy and perhaps
few more Of the well-tO-do and wealthy
Of the commercial, industrial and Imam
cial class, who had come more from Gu
riOsity than from anything else, the au-
dience was exclusively composed OF en-
ployes on salary Of from two 10 three
thousand francs a year. II included SER
francs only at a time, retired servants,
small shop-keepers and men with small
incomes who live in tiny cottages with
few yards OF garden in the suburbs OF
town. There were many whose CHIEF re-
source was a salary or the proceeds OF
a little capital painfully and slowly ac-
cumulated during the last thirty years,
perhaps, and saved for the purpose
Of enabling them before dying to
enjoy life OF leisure. which,
however, often killed them-with
the satisfaction OF raising their own vege-
tables in a patch OF well-kept ground,
and OF dying at last free in houses Of
their own. These we're the classes, who,
led by the speaking example OF the sue
cess OF Suez, had put some Of their saw
ings, others their all in the new enter
prise, and who were now eagerly waiting
to know what to expect, ready to give
az much US their last cent TO save what
they had already invested. These were
the representatives OF the most conser-
vative class OF France, who compose the
wealth Of the country. who never 30 into
anything for speculation In the present
instance, acting upon their own judgment,
and sometimes upon that Of their former
masters they had solid confidence in the
final success and satisfactory returns OF
The investment.
The conference began by a few pleas
ing and wel-cheered remarks OF the Comte
De Lesseps, who presented his son TO
the audience, and returned TO his seat.
In his persons al appearance Charles De
Leseps could not compare with his father
10 whom lie had no resemblance what
ever. Heavier in frame and mind, he
had none Of the brilliancy and personal
magnetism OF his father. Tall. austere,
dfartatA Id n.,1 L.. "A
every one to be an average man in all
respects. Incapable Of influence, but easily
influenced himself. Notwithstanding his
reserve and his matter-of fact manner.
lie seemed TO lack imagination and con-
ception, but everybody, even his enemies,
had to acknowledge that ne was himself
a man of good sense. straightforward,
earnest able and incapable OF misleading
any one; full OF goodwill. useful, per-
haps. In an enterprise. II well directed,
but without the ability OF plotting him
self. having no personality whatever. He
blindly. childishly. admiringly followed
his father. His voice was clear and agree
bic, his style and speech easy and win
ming. For more than two hours he held
the entire assembly breathless and most
interested. while he explained the canal
enterprise from the start, entering into
many details OF the work accomplished
In the first years; explaining the diff
culties he met and surmounted, as well
as those yet to be overcome He gave
the entire statement OF expenses already
incurred and the number OF millions APP
proximately judged necessary. not to
complete the canal, but 10 make IL navi-
gable. He showed, too. by a condensed
statement, the possibility OF pecuniary
returns and profitable investment. even
after such expenditures. All his speech
was certainly based on facts. He crawl
ed. as / would express IT, from one fact
to another. leaving after each finished
phrase upon every one an impression OF
moro safety. yet the impression arose, not
SO much from the sons own words and
expressions - from the satisfaction of
knowing he vas only ''ths speaking trum-
pet q hn ~ father. whs. client n bis