The Washington times., 1902-01-27
FRANCES ATTITUDE
MAY Be REVEALED
Controversy as to Feeling
During Spanish War.
DEPUTIES LIKELY 70 INVESTIGATE

NEW YORK, Jan. 26.-Anent the senti-
to and during the Spanish American war
the New York Tribune" today prints the
following from its correspondent at Paris
1.-The explanat tions of the Foreign Of
fees at Paris, Berlin. st. Petersburg, and
Vienna, ELECTED by Lord Cranborne' S
statement regarding the alleged proposals
of the Continental Powers to intervene
American war are published today in the
French papers, and it is deemed probable
that eventually the question will be put
in the Chamber of Deputies to NJ. Del
casse, Minister of Foreign Affairs. call
ing for the production of the documents
and dispatches showing exactly what was
the attitude of the French Government
toward the United States in March and
April, 1898. Some time must, however,
elapse before making public the corre-
spondence, because by diplomatic usage in
such cases the assent of those concerned
must previously be obtained.
want Correspondence Disclosed.
zation Alliance Franchise express the de-
sire that the full official correspondence
should be disclosed, in the firm belief
that the friendly attitude at that period
of the French Government toward the
United States will thereby be established
beyond any doubt.
Notwithstanding the difficulty with
which French diplomacy is confronted,
N m q uit rnyin ia
ID say. in demonstrating that France was
never a party to any joint or collective
proposal of intervention-those who origi-
nally selected the Paris cable service of
the Tribune as the medium of putting
the Continental case before the American
public, and which has resulted in draw
ing from Lord Cranborne and from the
Foreign Offices of the European capitals
SO much light on this point of history.
now disclaim the endeavor to prove too
much.
EngIand's Friendship Unquestioned.
They admit that England's friendship
toward the United States in the spring of
1898 was unquestioned and patent to the
world. but what they object to is that
the frequently reiterated protestations of
that friendship should invariably be cou-
pied with assertions that the Govern
ments of France and Russia during the
spring of 1898 were unfriendly toward the
United States.
They declare that General Porter. at
present in st. Petersburg. is cognizant of
facts which, If he deems the moment op-
perfume to disclose them. would furnish
ample testimony to the good will of the
French Cabinet toward the United States
in the March and April previous to the
Spanish-American war, and while the war
lasted. 1t is pointed out that in March
and April, 1898. there was extreme ten
sion between the Cabinets of France and
England about the Niger question, and
also between the Cabinets of Russia and
England. owing to the occupation of a
port in China.
Belief as to Coalition.
1.-THE Austrian and Spanish Ambassa-
doris at the Court OF st. James are ac-
cused of profting by this tension, and
making Mr.. Balfour, who conducted the
negotiations in Downing Street at the
time, believe that there really did exist
a coalition of the Continental Powers.
Anyhow, the feeling in French diplo-
matte circles is that at the present mo-
ment. when England and Germany are
acting in such Jealous rivalry to win the
smiles and good graces of the United
States. 1t is unfair that France should be
made to appear as having frowned upon
her sister Republic during the critical
period of the Spanish-American war, and
when the noisy barks and growls of the
Nationalists and the Catholic reaction
were mistaken abroad for the voice of the
masses OF the French people, whose real
feelings of friendship and interest toward
the United States were represented by the
French Government"