The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-05-20
FRANCE AND UNITED STATES
ASSURANCE OF Il CONTINUANCE OF
THE HETRADITIONAL FRIENDSHIP.

THE ETRADITIONAL FRIENDSHIp.
Result of Several Recent Exchanges Be-
tween the Officials of the American
State Department and the Officials of
the French Embassy-Each Govern
ment Has the Fullest Confidence in
the Friendly Attitude of the Other,
Washington, May 19-As result of
several recent exchanges between the
officials of the state department and
those Of the French embassy, an agree
able understanding has been reached
of the traditional friendship between
the United States and France. 1t has
served to make clear that each gov
ernment has the fullest confidence in
the friendly attitude of the other and
that any criticisms or animosities
aroused by recent incidents in the war
have not been shared by the govern
ment officials of either country. In the
recent exchanges the attitude of some
Paris newspapers in criticism of the
United States as well as those of this
country in criticism of France has been
gone over. 1t was pointed out by the
state department officials that they
had expressly disclaimed any sympa-
thy or endorsement of these criticisms
and that at most they are private ex-
pressions in no way rejecting the feel
ing of the United States government
toward France.
The French authorities have given
assurances that the French press crit
icisms came from an unrepresentative
class of radical Partisan newspapers
and in no way represented that cordial
sentiment entertained by the French
government and French people toward
the United States. 1t was shown, also,
that the more influential and represent
tative journals, in touch with the gov
ernment maintained the most friendly
tone toward this country. At the same
time, all misrepresentation on the
steamer Lafayette incident and the al
legged delay in official dispatchs from
Martinique were cleared up. AS to the
Lafayette the state department never
questioned the good faith Of the French
authorities and as to the delay in dis
patches, this was disposed Of by the
fact that the messages came over the
British, not the French cable line. AL
together the recent exchanges have
produced a pleasant impression on both
sides and feeling that any apparent
estrangement between the two coun-
tries has been overcome.
The state department feels natural
pride in having avoided all serious for
eign embarrassments and estrange-
ments such as usually arise on the out
break of war. During the early days
of the civil war, foreign embarrass-
ments seriously crippled the action of
the government but these have been
conspicuously lacking In the present
war. The thirty days limit prescribed
in the presidents proclamation of April
81 expires in few days. This gave
certain privileges to Spanish ships and
foreign ships in general and it is said
that the limit will expire without any
serious controversies having arisen.
When this period is closed it is felt that
danger of complications with reference
to foreign shipping will be practically
at an end.
M. Robineau Of Paris, who is promi-
nently identified with Partisan jour-
nails, has arrived here. While repre-
senting LIE Temps and LIE Matin, which
are identified with the French govern
ment, he also has semi official mis-
sion to perform. He is accredited by
M. Hanataux, the French minister of
foreign affairs, to the French embassy
and through this official channel he has
has been received at the White house
and by representative men of the ad-
ministration. M. Robineau is a pol
ished and scholarly French journalist
and he has presented his views to pub
lie men with the characteristic force
of a French man. AS result of his
calls at the White house NJ Robineau's
cables to the Partisan papers will rep
resent that the most cordial feeling is
entertained in the highest administra-
ton circles in Washington toward the
French government and people NJ.
Robineau has given assurances to the
officials here that the government
authorities of France entertain the
highest regard for the United States
and in no way feel sympathy or friend
ship for Spain in her present conflict
with the United States M. Robineau
said to-day.
''It is a matter of the greatest sur
prise to French people that this mex
plicable feeling of anImosity should
have arisen between people who have
been bound together by the closest ties
of friendship from the days of your
revolutionary war. We ask ourselves:
what does it mean?' 1 come directly
from Paris and am able to say that
neither the French government nor the
French people have any sympathy or
friendship for Spain, while they have
the greatest possible friendship for the
United States. You hear of certain ILL
feeling in Paris, but the cause of it is
plain. The French people invested
about 100000, 900 francs in the Panama
canal and lost almost every penny of
1t. It came out ofthe pockets of the