The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-20

Alarm Over the Proposed American
Boycott of French Goods.


Boycott of French Goods.
NEW YORK, May ia dispatch to the
Herald from Paris says: Mr.. Chamber
latn's sensational speech is undeniably re-
sponsible for decided feeling of nervous
ness here. The French press begins to see
1T has adopted a mistaken policy in declar-
ing so pronouncedly for Spain, as opposed
to the United States. Des Debats, in a
leader published on Monday, tries to smooth
away matters. 1t admits that the English
have profited by Frances action in this
matter. 1t says: America is entering
upon an enlarged international career and
1t Is very important to the French that
Americans do not begin with preconceived
ideas against us and that they do not re-
nounce their good understanding with us,
so useful in the past and still more desirable
for the future. We have shown how ably
England, dissatisfied with the attitude of
the continental powers, is creating relations
with the United States, which she is trying
to bring to her policy. We therefor ought
to avoid all mistakes that our adversaries,
always viglant, might turn to our disad-
vantage. The moment is passed to sit in
judgment on the war. France has never
been really hostile to the Americans. This
will be well understood across the Atlantic
when the present misunderstanding has been
disspated. The friends Of Spain have some
thing better to do than to declaim against
her adverSarieS."
The general tone of the article Is one of
fear that things have gone too far. Bust
nesses which depend largely for their sue
cess upon the patronage of Americans have
already felt the effects of the quasi cam
paign against the United States in favor of
Spain. The proprietor of one of the prin-
cipal hotels hero inveighed bitterly to me
against the attitude taken by the French
press. The number of Americans staying in
the hotel is sensibly less than at the same
time last year. AT Voisins, where at this
season there is usually big crowd of
Americans and Spaniards there were the
other night only two diners in the rooms.
jewelers., millinerS and other businesses are
seeing their season virtually ruined by the
diminishing number of American clients.
The Figaro yesterday morning tried to
turn the affair off with laugh in an article,
which says: ut is finished. France is go
ing to be boycotted by American million
aires and by the pretty Americans who will
no longer get their dresses from Paris.
Then in a bantering way the writer asks
London, where taior-made costumes and
bicycling skirts can be made admirably, but
pail drcSs.neyer. certainly not IN amer.
to be badly dressed. GAS to the millionaires,
they will surely come to Paris" continues
the article "in search of a more agreeable.
more intellectual and more artistic life than
is led in America A long list of those who
habitually stay long portion of each sea-
son in Europe is given, but there is q serious
tone underlying the jest.
In the same issue of the Figaro appears
dispatch from its London correspondent
telling of the nervous state of public opinion
there. Mr.. Chamberlain is believed to have
spoken for the entire Cabinet and the cor
respondent insists upon the gravity of the
situation People are already talking of a
possible Franco-E English conflict. With this
fear before them and with the practical re-
suits of loss of American custom staring
them in the face the people here are very
gloomy in their representations. In spite
of their disclaimers it is evident that the
English and Americans with disquietude. 1t
is such a natural alliance that they realize
that it will some day be made, and they
begin to fear they have fastened that day
by their display of hostility to the United
States over the war with Spain.