The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1867-04-25
The war Clopd in Europe.

The War Cloud in Europe.
Tine ssnsII i've Ia6cial barometer of
Rdfops fndixtes 4 outbunt of war
The cable dispatches inform us Of wide
spread distrust among business men of
the intentions Of the French Emperor,
and decline In securities Of all kinds
This uneasineA 10 not without founda-
ton. The French Emperor has been
terribly humiliated by the great Prussian
Prime Minister. He has been check
mated at all points. Louis Napoleon has
prided himself upon nothing more than
his foreign policy. He was regarded ~
the arbiter of Europe, and as holding
the fate Of nations III his hand. French
men were taught that the foreign infiu-
ence and greatness Of their country ur-
der the auspices Of the Emperor more
than atoned for lhe loH Of their personal
freedom. n
But this remarkabls prestige and re-
putation of the French Emperor has
been suddenly withered by the genius of
Bismark. The latter gains all that the
former loses. Every detail is mortifying
to French pride. The recent debates in
the French Corps Legislatif threw a
flood of light upon last years eventfuI
history. The French Emperor believed
that Prussia would be defeated in the
recent war with Aurtria. Perhaps this
wish was father to the thought" At
any rate, Austria was left without an
ally, and in week was at the mercy of
Prussia. 1t seemed rs though Prussia
was going to ruin the Empire Of Austria
hopelessly, and absorb the whole OF Ger
many. But here Louis Napoleon inter-
posed. He warned Bismark that ii he
pursued his oonquests, France would
enter the field in defense Of Austria
Still more, he whispered that inasmuch
as Prussia had already gained an enor-
NOUS accession of territory, it was only
fair that it should divide the spoils, and
yield that little rectifcation Of frontier"
to the Rhine. 1t is just here that Bis
mark displays the ascendancy of his
genius. He made peace with Austria
OH such conditions as we know of, and
then turned the French Emperor's greed
of territory to account. 1t SO happened
that parts of this territory coveted by
France belonged to Baden and to Bava-
ria, which had espoused the Austrian
side of the quarrel in the Germanic Con-
federation. But Bismark converted
vealing to their rulers that the French
Emperor wanted to despoil them. The
King of Bavaria and the Grand Duke of
Baden were naturally indignant, and
readily fell in with Bismark's plan of an
alliance with Prussia, which would
guarantee them their independence up
on condition of placing their country
and military forces at the disposal of
Prussia in case of war.
The treaties between Prussia and Ba-
varia and Baden were kept profoundly
i secret, until they were contemptuously
revealed by Bismark in the North Ger
man Parliament, in response to certain
indiscreet boastings of NJ. Rouher, the
the French Prime Minister, in the Corps
Legislatif. The effect was prodigious.-
1t was seen at q glance that Bismark
had completely outwitted Louis Ma
poleon, and had virtually effected the
unity of Germany. By his skill in war
and peace, he was in position to con-
front Europe with forty millions of uni
ted Germans, drilled in the most ettec-
tive manner In the world, and armed
with the terrible "needle gum" United
Germany has always been regarded as a
match for both Russia and France, and
it is observed that the latter can effect
very little single-handed against any
policy Bismark may choose to adopt
Louis Napoleon may precipitate war
in order to cover up the notifications
to which he has been exposed abroad,
and to avoid still greater danger from
the growing discomfort of Frenchmen.
A few days will determine whether he
will resort to this desperate alternative.
But it now looks as if his proper course
would be to attend to his great Exhibi-
ton, and content himself with amusing
Europe while Bismark governs it.