The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-12
POLITICAL FEELING
ENTERS into RACE
Prince Heny's Proposed Visit
to France Stirs Oppo.
Sition
special Cable to The Glnhs

Special Cable to The Globe
PARIS, March 1.-THE Automobile club
or France has taken what may be consid-
ereo It's hnal action in regard to the in
ternatlonal road races this year. and az
a. result the Bennett cup will take its
rlghtful place as the blue ribbon event NJ
the year In auto circles The club ba
ueclded TO abandon the proposed grand
prx de fautomobile until next wear and
70 oehu all Its energies towards making
the bennett race a success With tbio
OBJECT In view the eliminating trial I.-iIi
oe made more important than usual and
saIuapIe prizes will be offered for the
nt r;e.i,SS nnlshlng first, second and third.
originality thirty eight cars were entered
LOT the Bennett race and with no other
Us event 10 engage attention it Is likely
t that an these cars viii be entered for
t Sle trials. They will thus take on an
cup race itself ''A0
The French club has also decided to
i re Tue graha prlx next year and to give
Us patronage to only one big road race In
tne season Just what effect this will
neLNe on the bennett cup event in case the
PllzS - again Won by a French car is
hard TO foresee. There can be no obiec-
tIon on the part of other countries to the
french manufacturers holding a race in
winch they will have representation in
automobile building. The greatest obiec-
ton to holding the grand prix in con-
Junction with the Bennett cup race this
year was that they insisted on foisting
Sun1cient warning.
There was no mention OF the new race
when the Bennett entries closed in Janu-
airy, and il was contended by every other
country entering a team that the holding
or the two races simultaneously was
equivalent to breaking faith. 1t appears
now tnat II the Bennett cup again goes
10 France IL viii go begging for competi-
ton next summer. unless the donor agrees
to change the conditions so that Ii may
be made a principal prize in race in
Whlch France may enter a greater num-
Der of cars than any other country
The town Of AiX-les- Bains was greatly
annoyed at the rejection of it's circuit this
year and in view. therefore. OF the fric--
ton that arose over the grand prix and
the Gordon Bennett cup. it has, in con-
junction with the Journal les Sports, found
ed another race. This will be entitled 1.-THE
Grand Prix OF the Republic" and will
be run at practically the same time as
the Gordon Bennett. The distance will
be S10% miles, and the course win natu-
is admittedly superior to that of the Au-
vergne. There viii be no limitations to
any country each firm in the world hav-
ing the right to enter three cars.
1t will be remembered that the organ
izers OF the international motor car race
last year in the Taurus invited, among
other eminent persons, the president Of
the French republic. Mons. Loubet declined
but the precedent was a somewhat en-
barrassing one for the French committee
of this years race in Europe. 1t was
felt quite within the bounds Of probability
that IL the German emperor were invited
he would not decline.
The French automobile club fancied that
1t had solved the difficulty by addressing
formal invitation to Prince Henry. the
emperor's brother, to be present at the
race. This device, however. IS apparent
ly not acceptable to everyone. A trum-
pet blast of protest appears in the Matin
under the title La Visite Impossible" and
over the signature Of Mons. Sansboeuf.
president of the Federation of the French
and Colonial Alcase-Lorraine societies.
Mons. SanSboeuf regards the pros
pect of Prince Henry's presence
as ''monstrous," for his coming
would not be that OF an ordinary
German subject. He personifies the Ger
man fatherland, and to shake hands with
him would be tantamount to calling him
friend. Mons. Sansboeuf paints vigorous
portrait of William II as an imperial
Lovelace, ever seeking to cajoIe France
by delicate attentions of every kind, final
ly going to the length Of hunting down
Mons Waldek-R Rousseau in a Norwegian
ford and inviting him to dinner. But all
these coquetrieS were SO much time vast
ed for behind them the hidden motives
were apparent. Mons. Sansboeuf believes
that French minds and hearts are still,
as he puts It, Gin arms" and he calls upon
Prince Henry to initiate Pubs de Chavan-
mes, who, when the Empress Frederick
visited him in 1891 to ask him to exhibit
In Berlin, replied, "Je suis Francois, ie
reSte en- France.