The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-18
FRANCE BAITED
 IN PANAMA AFFAIR
POWERFUL INTERESTS URGE HER TO BUILD THE CANAL.
Use Patriotism as Weapon Against Us-If Hostile Sentiment Spreads No Ministry in
 Paris Could Stop It.
New York Herald.

With Colombia showing feht on the one hand and on the other a portion ol the French press organizing determined opposition to any transfef of the Panama Canal Company's concessions, the isth- mian situation is beginning to look threat ening.
 With regard to Colombia's effective mill itary resources you are undoubtedly fully and reliably informed, but the signih- canoe of the new opposition to the move- ment in France may not have been em- phasized as it deserves to be- Whatever the real motives, political or other, un- derlying this movement, 1t Is professedly dictated by patriotism. and consequently calls for sersous. consideration.
 France, claim its promoters, began the construction of the Panama Canal; France can and must complete it. The force such a plea may acquire and the im- mense support 1t may enlist on its side becomes very apparent when you recol- lect that millions of working people in France purchased and still hold shares in the Panama Canal companies. The ad- herence of this mass of the French public may be easily won to 8 movement to pre- vent the acquisition of the Panama con- cession by the United States.
 If this hostile sentiment spreads. and if the resulting political power be skill fully directed and utilized, no ministry in France could withstand it or would sanc- ton, even virtually, a transfer of French interests in the enterprise to the United States. In the face of such a conting- ency the administrators of the Panama Canal Company could not do otherwise than break off negotiations for its sale, leaving the United States on the horns of a desperate dilemma--nameiy, to re- cede, which means incalculable loss of prestige with the Latin republics of Gen. tral and South America, or to insist upon the carrying out of the agreement trans- feFrfng the canal concession to the United States. which means a diplomatic con- fiict. if nothing worse. with France.
 Result ck President's "Coup."
 This is the situation brought about by the action of President Rooseveit's admin istration with regard to the secession movement in Panama. That there is no exaggeFation in the foregoing statement is evident from the tone of articles that have appeared during fine last three days in Gii Bias.
 In order that you may not be inclined to deprsciase the value of these articles on account of the former reputation of the organ publishing them, may be allowed to say that Gil Bias of today and Gil Bias of old are as different from each ota- CT as day and night.
 Under N. Per.vier's editorship the new ly organized Gii Bias has gone forward by leaps and bounds. It has become a newspaper in losing its somewhat sala- cious character and is rapidly winning a high position of political influence and a great measure of popular esteem and sup port.
 Today, then. Gil Bias returns to the att tack upon the pro-transfer party, its re- marks being published under the title, which 1t keeps standing in its columns, "C'est la France Qui Doit Faire Pana- ma
 Replying to the contention that the new Panama Canal Company only entered in- too negotiation with the United States when experience had demonstrated the impossibiiity of acquiring French capital sufficient to complete the undertaking, M. Raoul Charbonnel says:
 French Can Complete Work.
 Not only did the company renew the
 major portion of the plant in operation on the Isthmus when 1t succeeded the pre- ceding company. not only did it remove about 100000 cubic meters of the 30,009- OOO then remaining, but 1t is also in po- sidon to find in its coffers. if the admin istration really desired to do so, more than 200,O00,00O francs to carry out the work. It would be interesting to know who are the real promoters of the cam paign undertaken with the object of dis courasing French shareholders by means of the Nicaraguan bogey, which always made It's appearance very opportuneIy. T have followed M. Bunau- Varilla' s | movements. Not only have I listened
 with interest to ali pleas that his eIo- queDce could make. but I also discussed and analysed the famous letter that the "defermined young Minister of the new Republic wrote to the President of the
 French Republic and to the official re- | ceiver of the Panama Canal Company. This letter did not convince me any | more than 1t convinced the majority of the shareholders. Why did M. Bunau- Varilla send this document to two Der sonages who could not reply. instead of communicating directly with the new company. which at that time could have ! seconded his efforts?
 Can 1t have been seriously believed that French shareholders would follow M Bunau-Varilia's lead without wishing to rake up rather painful incidents? Is fl
 really thought that the past of the new
 Minister Plenipotentiary is such as to I inspire confidence fin the holders of Pan 1 anna Canal sharesT' Would Have European Support. ' RN. 3Ak1EGul HISO urges the com l pletiOn of the canal by France
 The company" he says, must be given the moral support of the Govern. ment. This support will bring to our aid certain of the European powers, who, l have strong reason to believe, are ready to second the French Government. If ii will take the initiative in an energetic campaign to secure the completion of the canal by the French company, it should be encouraged and helped along by all. Tt is idle to attempt 10 hide the fact that the transfer of French rights and French labor to the United States for a sum that does not represent half the.r value will produce a ruinous impression abroad. Not only will 1t affect the reputa- ton of our country. but its material in-
 terests will also suffer. for the prestige of
 nation reacts directly and sehsibly
 upon it's commercial relations with other ! peoples"
 M. Lucten Napoleon Bonaparte wyse
 whose interest in the Panama project
 dates from it's very inception. as he was it's promoter and one of the original con.
 cessionists and drew the first technical plans for the scheme, has written an en.
 ergetic letter denouncing the action oi
 the United States with regard to the
 secession of Panama from the Colombian
 republic. protesting against the sale ot | the French concession and expressing z
 hope that Europe. if only to safeguard
 It's future, will not permit the accom- plishment of veritable iniquity whicl will singularly lower its prestige" A Dangerous Situation.
 The foregoing extracts show very un
 mistalably the way the wind Is blowing A persistent effort Is being made to arous French continent Should the agitation