The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-30
Conditions in France.

III TdUCS.
At no time In it's history could the
people of the United States look with
more kindness and sympathy, COM
bined with charity, upon the people Of
France than during the present crisis
there France is a representative Of
the old Latin race. The people carry
the blood Of centuries In their veins,
and that blood is of an exciting and al
most uncomfortable quality. Many
good things have come out Of France
in favor of this country. The nation,
now, is under a republican form of
government which has existed nearly
thirty years. and had its origin so far
as the spirit of liberty and independ-
ence is concerned, in the terrible ordeal
through which it passed just a century
ago.
The kindness shown to the colonies
Of our eastern coast of America, dur
ing the period of revolution against
English domination, and the active in
dividual labors of Lafayette attached
on sentimental lines the two countries
In manner which has had no parallel
perhaps in history, so far as distinct
races are concerned. The people Of
the United States may rightfully be
classed in the Anglo-Sa column.
There has been a large sprinllling
of the slower blood of Dutch and Ger
man, as we'll as Swede, in the making
up Of our population. 1t would require
an expert psychologist to trace the
several lines of affinity in the original
column planted on this continent seek
Ing independence.
But the strangest Of all affinities is
that which draws this mass of people
into so close touch with the French
nation. The German population here
largely predominates over that which
has been contributed by France. In
the Franco Prussian war; out of which
issued the German empire, the Amer
lean spirit was strongly in favor of the
Latin race, represented by France.
Speaking, however, of France 1t
ought not to be understood that
the sympathy was altogether
with the imperial crown orig
inally instituted by the first Napoleon
and rehabilitated by Napoleon III. in
his famous coup detat Of the early
fiftieS. The downfall of Napoleon III,
in 1870. called for little in the way of
sympathy from this republic because OF
his methods in the direction of main
tenance of a power which had original
ly been assumed under false pretenses.
Now the United States can look upon
France more in the nature of a strug-
Cling sister in the family of nations
than ever before. The perfect test Of
republican government has come to
that people. Our government can
&c q u.
looking back upon the silent but some
times too predominant sympathy on the
part of France which existed toward
Spain as against this country during
our recent war
Spain has passed, under the treaty
now being assented to by the regency
and the ministry, from first-rate pow
or of considerable colonial possessions
to what may be styled nothing more
than a third-rate power so far as the
relations of the nations Of the world
are regularly assessed. With the de-
cadence of the Castilian power a Ger
tain amount of French sympathy is
carried with Spain as against
our own country. But Spain's
colonial power is gone The re-
public of the United States is
sues forth at the close Of the nine
teenth century as a courtier Of colonies:
and conqest has brought into the pos
session of the young republic territories
which, while making their conIibu-
lions to land area. are liable to create
equal contributions in the line of wise
administration for their proper control.
In the light of our own territorial
expansion IS it not proper TO turn and
take a view Of the conditions which
exist In France today, the same
France which helped this nation
in its infancy? We see there
a republic struggling for existence. We
behold a conflict little understood in
our community between the military
and civil power. We look back to his
tory and realize that only 100 years ago
the reign Of terror carried men and
women 10 the guillotine by thousands
without regard to their guilt or inno-
cence. We see today that country stir
red to its depths in the matter OF the
determination of the guilt or innocence
of enc single man identified with the
army. There never has been In all
history so pronounced q degree of
national advancement, on conscientious
lines, and it is to be hoped that
this government OF the Latin race may
yet demonstrate that spirit Of liberty
end appreciation of the sense of JUS
tice which led Lafayette across the
seas in the defense of this republic, by
a proper tribute to what is commonly
believed to be the innocence of the un-
fortunate Dreyfus.
Some Colonial IesSons