The age-herald., 1898-07-31
FRANCE WOULD
 PLAY IN OUR YARD The Press Now Think 1t Wiser to
 Favor YiCtOrS. WERE NEVER UNFRlENDLY Fourth of July Celebration is Offered
 as Proof.
THE MINISTER OF COMMERCE
Protests That the French Government Has Never Been Discourteous to Uncle Sam, But Has Always
 Been in Harmony.
Copyright by the Associated Press

Paris, July 30.-There is a strong desire in French circles to bring about Il complete resumption of the pleasant citations with the United States which existed previous to the trouble with Spain and Aricrica and which were disturbed by French newspa- per utterances.
 It is pointed out that the nearer the Spansh-American war comHs to n close the clearer it is to sober minded Frenchmen that public opinion i'll America nas Teen mistaken in regard to the real opinion and feeling of France towards the United States. It is added that in spite Of what was written in the swspapers here or dis cussed in social circles when the war be- gan, no doubt was enf, ,ta.hed anywhere in France as to the result of the hostllir!es The weakness and inser1rity of Spain were so evident that it is claimed here it would be unfair to assert that the American vic tories have caused change of public opin- ion in France, and ;hat the French news papers today think |. wiser to farcr the conqueror.
 In explanation of the tone of the French press to ward the unitel States 1t is said the language used by the newspapers at present Is the same used three months Ggo, and that the reason the American people have been under the impression that the French papers were hostile to the United States and favora )e to Spain is due to the fact that the less sensible part of the French press was euoted in the cable cis- patches, while such papers as the Journal Des Desbats, the Figaro and the Temps and some others have not favored eilher side in the WAT and have furnished th'ir readers with hon ,at acco.ln,s "f tie differ ent features of he hostllitics.
 Continuing it is argued that some of the leading representatives of the French press were interviewed during the war and their statements left no room for doubting that they entertained cordial feeling toward the United States, while French business men, who were similarly interviewed, were even more emphatic Tn their expressions of friendship towards America.
 Finally, the Frenchmen say that the re- cent celebration of the Fourth of July was the occasion of bringing forth additional proof of the cordial feeling entertained here towards Americans At the banquet of the American Chamber of Commerce there were many prominent Frenchmen present including some of the h1gn state officials. and M Maruojoule, the minister of commence, speaking TOT the rreHoh government, said:
 eve have been told that far away on the other side of the Atlantic there are those who have listened to calumnlators ETanCe forgetful of her duty. and that we nave become not only adversaries, but. accord ing to some reports, even discourteous to- ward America. I protest against such an impression. My word is sufficient to ols- nel such a ridiculous idea, and nope that the echo of what I say will be carried far from this banquet hall to the other s'de of the Atlantic, as an indignant protest against the false reports as to the senti- ments of France toward America. But, -,,Ar oia countrymen that not a day. not an hour, not a minute has elapsed during which the harmony that exists between us mas ever run the risk of being broken. France has always been for you second country ana no one knows better than vour ampassa- dor and a minister of the French cabinet the degree of cordiality manifested m connection with our reciprocal relations.
 This statement of the French munster of commerce is reproduced here as II IS heinz freely used by Frenchmen in theif arguments tending to prove that France has not beer unfriendly to the United States in the war with Spain. They also arp,e that there Is no reason why France should side with Spain as during the pres ent century there has "never been any common ideal between the two countries, and that the Frenchmen of today are not led by clerical considerations, nor by the "theory of so-called Latin races,' which if Is further. asserted. is no longer taken seriously by any sensible man.
 From a semi-official source the following statement was made:
 "From a commercial point of view France is as much interested In Amer ican as in Spanish trade, and, consequent Iv she has no reason to Jeopardize her friendly relations with the United States. still she feels sympathy for her unfortun- ate neighbor and rejoices heartily at the fact that peace is to be arranged ana that tbe French ambassador M. Cambon, has heen the messenger of peace sent by Spain to America .,,
 "As to the terms upon which peace will be arranged the French government ana ttha limited states will no longer be sat isfied with the mere independence of Cuba, considering that the war has cost her con- siderable sacrifices.
 Consequently the French press. es- pecially the Journal Des Deoats ana the