The Panama Swindle

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7068, 14 February 1893, Page 3

The Panama Swindle

The effect of the Panama scandals baa been to arouse the French people, and especially the working classes in the country and in the groat towns, to a pitch of frenzy. The French peasant and workman from whose pocket came the 60.000,000 sterling which have been wasted at Panama and Paris, consider that they have been swindled. They attributed the failure of the canal to any but the right causes. American influence, English intrigues, were both blamed, and Jacques Bonhomme believed that somehow or another le Grand Francais would put everything right, but now they rush to the other extreme. They suspect everything and everybody ; they can scarcely be made to believe that any money was spent at Panama at all ; they have come to the conclusion that it was all abstracted by German Jews, foreign adventurers and French adventuresses ; they regard the republic as steeped from top to bottom in corruption, and they blame the system for the faults of the individuals. A general election to-morrow would show a violent reaction from republieism. Fortunatoly for the peace of Europe, there is no pretender in the field worthy the name, and neither Prince Victor Bonaparte nor the Oomte (le Paris seems inclined to lake advantage of the troubled waters. Otherwise the consequences might bo most serious. At present it seems that the result of the scandals would be to intensify the feeling in France against Germans and against Jews, and to strengthen the hand of the extreme Loft. M. Derolubde, at the close of his violent speech, attacked what ha called the international Society, not of Socialists and Revolutionaries, but of financiers andjjjobbers. ihere is no doubt that he faithfully represented the feelings of most Frenchmen. In the present temper of the nation no one knows what a day may bring forth.