The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-11-08
HIS GL0RIEs DlMMED.
FERDINAND DE LEssEPs OF TO-
DAY.
The Magician of suez-A Recipient
of the Cross of the Legion of
HOnOr--Frank and Firm Amid
the Walls and Wrath of Panama
Stockholders.

Twenty-three years ago the name of
Ferdinand de Lesseps was on every |
body's lips. He had completed the |
greatest feat of engineering of modern
times-the Suez canal. He had real
lied his dream and made this gigantic
undertaking a success, which brought
him the admiration and fame of the1
whole civilized world. 1t is impossible
to enumerate the honors with which
he was overwhelmed from every quar-
ter of the globe. The French govern
ment bestowed upon him the greatest
honor it can bestow-the grand cross of
the Legion of Honor. In England the
enthusiasm for De Lesseps was so
great that the city council of London
decided to confer the rare distinction of
making him an honorary citizen of the
city of London" In short he was at the
zenith of his fortune and fame, and
there was not the slightest shadow of
a cloud visible which could darken his
evening of life.
And now all this dazzling splendor
and glory have been ruthlessly swept
away, leaving in their stead the heavy
pail of darkness and sorrow. The non
or of having accomplished one of the
most notable works in history nobody
bus which formerly surrounded his
name is gone forever. The wretched
fiasco of the Panama under taking has
thrown him from his height of fame
and brought him at the age of 81 years
to be arraigned for trial in court of
justice.
That the majority in the French
Chamber of Deputies wish the case
against De Lesseps investigated with
out reserve is without a doubt. This
was Shown few days ago when they
hurriedly repealed the clause in the old
law which made the possessor of the
grand cross of the Legion of Honor
exempt from appearing before tri
bunal except that of the highest court
of France.
The public is divided in reference to ]
pushing the charges against the vener-
able old man. Many of the Partisan
newspapers are in strong sympathy
with De Lesseps, both on account of his
age and his illustrious services. These
papers hold it would be a burning
shame to permit one of the most diStin-
guished Sons of France to be brought
before court of justice like common
miscreant. They admit that the Pan
anna affair was q badly planned and
wretchedly managed undertaking, but
that De Lesseps acted IN good faith
and that ne has not profited by the
transaction in any illegitimate way.
What use the French government can
make OF an investigation at this late
day is hard to understand. Even if
the directors in the Panama company
were compelled to sacrifice every franc
they have it would not be a drop in
the sea in comparison with tn
1,100,0O0,000 or 100000 600 francs
which are irrevocably lost to
the unfortunate stockholders in
this Inflated enterprise. The foreign
press also expresses sympathy for De
Lesseps. The London Times, in a
leader, said that the decision of the
French government to prefer charges
France and the civilized world, and
adds: with all his faults De Lesseps
is today, perhaps, the greatest living
Frenchman. His great deeds have had
a direct influence on the direction of
French politics, and, although the
Panama undertaking came to a disaS-
trous end, France can not have have
forgotten What De Lesseps has done
for the honor of his country. It is
with great pain and Borrowing hearts
that the French would see this S7-year-
old man on a felon's bench, accused, of
embeZZlement."
Is is now interesting to glance at the
former career of Ferdinand de Lesseps,
the central figure of this great financial
upheaval He was born at Versailles
in 1905, and enjoyed all the advantages
of a splendid education. He evinced a
strong inclination toward the diplomatic
service, but his father discouraged him
as much as possible in his endeavors
to receive a government appointment
He, however, carried his point, and
through influences stronger than his
fathers he was appointed consul at
Cairo in 1888. While here and
in Alexandria as Consul-General
De Lesseps received the cross of
the legion of honor for humane services
rendered during the plague which
swept off one-third of the population.
He was transferred to Rotterdam, and
then, in 1914, to Barcelona, where he
gave great satisfaction to the different
nationalities of the latter place at the
time of its bombardment by Espartero
The French residents struck a, medal
in his honor. The Marseilles chamber of
commerce presented him with an ad-
dress; the Barcelona chamber ordered
his bust in marble The Princes of Sar-
DINA and the two Sicilies conferred
their highest honors upon him. In 1S4S
he was ambassador to the court of
Madrid, and in 1S49 represented his
government at Rome. Here he dis
pleased the home office on account of
his tendency to concessions, to the
young republic of Rome. Full of gen
erOus ardOr and belief in human prog
ress and the rights of man. says NJ
de Leon ''he demonstrated against the
occupation of Rome by the French
troops in 1S49, and, after q protest
against General Oudinot's lombard
ment and military rule, he retired
from a diplomatic career in which adj
Yancement was SO sure, thus seeming
~ sacrificing his whole future for p1in-
ciple"
The project of the Suez canal, which
for years had been his, pet idea, now
received his undivided attention and
energy. To cut a new route for the
| commerce of our day straight across
from sea to sea became De Lesseps'
one great ambition. He had steadily
advocated the widest extension of
| commerce, swift and close Intercourse
between remote points where such a
thing was possible.
In 1854. he was sent by the French
to negotiate with Said Pasha for the
construction of the Suez canal, first
projected in 1916 His mission was
crowned with success, and the neces-
sary concessions were made
in November of that year.
His wonderful power of in
fusing some of his own enthusiasm into
others enabled him, after what seemed
1sumountable difficulties, to overcome
the bitter opposition of his powerful
enemies. to raise with comparative ease
the necessary funds. In 1858 De Les
seps had received subscriptions of
stock amounting to 2oO,OOO,OOO francs
alone in France, and in 1859 he pro-
ceeded to Egypt and planted the
Egyptian flag in the harbor of the
ancient Potassium where Port Said now
stands.
He again was harrassed by fresh
difficulties, chiefly of political nature.
The English press was particularly Bit
ter in its attacks. One leading English
journal referred to it as ''the monstrous