Fitzgerald enterprise. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1895-1912, 1903-01-09
Z z1Ts5 Is
Fight To Be Made Against the
Paris Exposition.
A RESULT OF DREYFUS VERDICT
Congress Will Be Asked To With
Draw Our Appropriation
And Exhibit.

A Washington special says: II is
believed that when congress assem-
bles there will be considerable agita-
ton Of a proposition for this govern
ment to abandon its participation in
the Paris exposition. 1t is known that
expressions hostile to the exposition
quoted from Senator Stewart are very
widely sympathised in, and it is
thought that if the conviction of Drey-
fus is permitted to stand there will be
very little friendly feeling for France
among members of either the house or
senate. Such move, however, would
be grave one. 1t is pointed out to
withdraw from participation in the ex-
position would be regarded as an Off
cial insult to France. No further leg
islation on the part of congress is
needed to carry out the plans of this
SouhtAJ AoI VIC tApOSiulCu.
About 81, 200, 900 has been appropri-
ated for the expenses of the commits
sion and the government exhibit; the
commission has been appointed and
the space desired for exhibits from
this country has been secured.
There are now only two ways in
which congress could interfere, one
would be to revoke such part of the
appropriation as has not been already
expended in the expenses of the COM
mission and the other would be to
pass resolution declaring that on &C
count of the unsettled conditions the
valuable government exhibits should
not be sent to Paris.
To do either of these things is suf-
ficient, it is believed, to break Of
all friendly relations between the two
countries. Congress and the state de-
partment may look at the matter from
different points of view.
The president and the state depart
ment, having the responsibility for
maintaining our relations with foreign
governments, cannot be expected to
find in this affair reason for involv-
ing the country in an international
complication, and it is likely that the
executive branch Of the government
will use what influence it can to pre-
vent any hasty action.
Unless congress expressly forbids it,
this government will proceed with the
preparations for the exhibition and
will send to Paris such government
exhibits as are decided upon, but this
will be done with q realization of the
probability that much of the space Sc
cured with such difficulty for private
American exhibits will be left vacant.
Little doubt is felt that the latitude
allowed the private citizen will be
quite extensively availed of to with
draw from participation in the expo
sition.
Another difficulty in the way of an
effort to prevent participation in the
exposition, however, will be found in
the fact that before congress has as
sembled much of the government ex-
hibit probably will be packed and on
its way to Paris, if not actually there.
The exposition opens in April, and the
work Of transporting and preparing
the exhibit, will have to begin some
months before that time. Up to this
time, it is said, the preparation of the
government exhibit has not begun,
but the work will proceed as soon as
the government officials are ready.
Representative Hepburn, of Iowa,
said that he had ceased to marvel at
the methods of French army justice
after observing how the trial of Drey-
fus was conducted. No such trial or
verdict was possible in the United
States. He did not think it would in
any way affect diplomatic relations
between this country and France, nor
did he think it would interfere with
the United States exhibitors at the
coming exposition.