The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-06-29
So Jealous of Uncle Sans Success At.
ter Their TWO Failures, That
They Turn
Green.
ARE MAKING PLANS
In Spite of Criticism, Country Pre-
pares to Reap the Benefit Which
VIII Come From
[By William philip simms, Paris cor

|
respondent of the United Press
PARIS, June 2S.-Although verit-
able campaign against the Panama,
canal is being waged in Europe, and
the direst calamities are prophesied
for 1t, the French government is pre-
pairing to spend millions in order that,
France shall get her share of benefits;
upon the opening of Uncle Sans
gigantic new waterway.
France made two attempts to cut
1.-THE isthmus and failed disastrously;
both times The United States took
charge and won, SO old Europe seems.
to be peeved. A small landslide at
Panama Is magnified here into
crumbling mountain and an earth
Quake in Yucatan is bruited into dis
aster wiping the big ditch off the map.
The complete destruction of the
whole works by an upheaval of nature
lis only matter OF time, according to
the favorite story periodically printed
here.
ELSEWHERE in Europe, is that the canal
is already out of date though not yet
J finished.
; America. too, is mercilessly lam
basted. She is accused of playing the
hog and trying to make the waterway
benefit herself and herself alone.
/ France, it is pointed out, when plan
ming the canal had at heart the in
terests of the entire world it was to
have been her gift to civilization.
In the meantime the French gov
eminent and French enterprises seem
to have their own private views of
the matter and are making plans ac-
cordingly. And Senator Henri Bereng-
er (of Guadeloupe) who more than
anyone else INDUCES in invective at
the expense of the United States and
her alleged selfish intentions, has taxi
en- the lead in urging France to COM
struct ports. coaling stations and the
| like, both in the Atlantic and Pacific
so as to be prepared to catch her part
of the golden plums which are sure
to fall to all the nations of the world.
upon the completion of the canal
France owns group of islands
the Society group, Marquises, etc
about 1000 miles, or about half that
from Panama to Australia. France is 4
considering building a deep port at
Papeete, in Tahiti, the biggest of the.
islands, and there installing the most
up to date automatic coal handling
station in the world 1t Is pointed
out that while ship can easily
carry sufficient coal to steam 5000
miles without stop, the supply of coal
necessary for the start would great
| ly reduce the cargo tonnage of the
vessel. However, with modern port
midway the long course, and auto
matte coaling apparatus to facilitate
recharging the bunkers, the increase
in freight capacity would be enormous.
The Tahiti port will probably be
constructed by the French govern
ment, but the coaling station would
be given over to private enterprise,
France, however, exercising GER
tain supervision over it and being par.
! for the concession
The ports of Fort de France and
/ ollilS-d-i lllty tSSOiuillS W a SON6TD-
ment commission which visited both
the Atlantic and Pacific islands, are
trifle too far off the direct route from
Europe to Colon to benefit greatly by
the canal. However these West In
dian ports are to be improved and put
/ into condition to handle an increased
1 local business which the opening of
the canal will surely bring about.
thinks the commission.
Al these works are TO be rushed so
that France may get in on the ground
floor and make a telling bid for the
worlds business Immediately ships be-
/ gin to use the canal. Government ex-
perts declare The benefits of the canal
to France will prove enormous.
The burying of the President Pom
care-Georges Clemenceau Ratchet, the
lgreatest political sensation of the year
in France. is not expected to mean
/