New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-04
TRADITIONAL FRIENDSHIPS.
FRENCH ASSURANCES DIsCREDITED BY AN
OBSERVER IN EUROPE.

FRENCH ASSURANCES DIsCREDITEp BY AN
OBSERVER IN EUROPE.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: I see In The London Times OF yesterday.
May o. the following amazing news. cabled from
washington and repeated by ali the Continental
press OF Europe:
As the result of several recent interviews between
ton and the French Embassy an understanding has
been reached giving assurance OF the contnuancss
the ira friendship be french aahores
gave assurances that criticisms in the Paris pres3
came from an unrepresentative class OF fadcal
newspapers. -
VIII you allow American citizen famiiiar WIN
European affairs who has collected In Europe our
Ing the last six weeks for the purpose OF historical
work. all the opinions Of the Continental press on
the subject of our conflict with Spain. TO state N
very plain English that II the French autnori-
ties have made such an assertion they nave oe
liberately and knowingly asserted faisehooo' l
know that the contempt OF French. German anu
Russian diplomacy for veracity and truth Is the
basis of Continental European "statesmanshp'
but the impudence Of this assertion beats all pre-
vious records.
The continuous stream Of invectives. insults and
abuse which flowed steadily from all French
newspapers except one-the "Aurore. OF NJ
Clemenceau, who lived formerly as an exile In
America-has been limited TO no political party
The "Debats." the Temps" the Figaro. all the
Conservative. the Clerical the official and un-
official press Of the so-cal,ed French Repuolc
have assiduously worked together for two months
to create on this Continent the now universal opin-
ion that the Spaniards the heroic champions
OF right and order In America, while the Ameri-
cans from the President downward are nothing
but motley crowd OF unprlncipled politicians,
knaves towards fools. whose nsoence should
be castigated by the so-caed Great Powers" OF
Europe.
Occasional quotations from a New-York news
paper describing the President Of the United States
invertebrate gentleman. with no diplomatic
experience" and the Congress OF the United States
crowd OF scoundre. and fools. with no man
ners at all. added to other quotations from similar
hysterical utterances emanating from an American
who was enghtng The London Times ad
nauseam on the subject. have been necessarily
tower II strength to the European Continental
their Imagination TO attain their object.
To Americans residing 10 Europe who could s read
newspapers The day before the battle OF Cayte
Ss BY no saSx
can Congress had been stolen by the American
United states and these European States seems Ger
tainy fraud This interesting piece Of news
true; only "a weI-known German professor, recos-
1ea o sm an as an aoi on al
utterances; but French newspaper. could beat him.
the did noi
| being mere tormality: which bound nobody This
| time, IT is true they did not quote the sources Of
/ bold assertion.
/ II We hear now OF traditional" French German
| or Russian friendship" after having rad to listen
| FOR six weeks n chorus Of threats and abuse
! there is good for IT, Since Mr.. Chamber
| lain has mentioned the possibility OF an Anglo
American alliance-which might bring about tho
starvation and utter ruin OF the European Cont
nent in less than two weeks. with necessary ac-
compartment OF tread riots and anarchy-there has
been shudder in high places Besides lie pays des
/ dollars az the leading idiots Of French Journal
/ ism call our country. has been so far gold mine
! FOR French German and Swiss manufacturers,
American people seem to hesitate little more
than formerly In filing European pockets with
/ their coin Then. again Continental diplomacy Is
not that It's usual methods. consisting n
sufe In Washington They are exc hanging notes
and memoranda on the subject the Continental
press says so, and as their Ministers in Washing
! ton have nothing else 10 do but TO find out how
far Intervention might work" II is evidently true
1t Ia perhaps time that the American people
! should understand once for all that hated
here Ike the English. that we can have no political
sympathizers or continent whose omnipotent
military bureaucraces. all organized on despotic
! French or German pattern find themselves unable
| our wheat and without market for their goods;
/ powerless ns they are before united Anglo Amer-
can nations. their greatest curse is our strength
/ and prosperity. Let drop forever this
| ornments who base their civilization on bayonets
! and empty phrases. and while avoiding all aggres-
slvc action all unfair proceedings let tell those
| people In very pain English. while they put their
heads together 10 check the supremacy OF English
speaking nations that We do discriminate between
our friends" and hat our markets may be closed
! 10 some Of them. They Will then become exceed
lngly cordial. and forget suddenly that American
civilization is the most contemgtibe thing earth
Kiesep Su,1arIand MAY y zoos