The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-03
The United states of Europe.

One Of the most significant and suggestive
cries to which this Franco-German struggle
has given birth is that which has been raised
in favor of "The United States of Europe"
The origin of the idea Of which
these words are the expression is not
difficult to find. It is long since the
United States of America began to influence
the people and the politics Of Europe. II was
the successful struggle of our American colo
MES against the mother country which gave to
the French people the needed courage and
the needed nerve to strike the blow Of 1888.
For the services which France rendered US in
our struggle we helped to give France liberty
a liberty which for time was undoubtedly
abused, but which nevertheless marked the
commencement of new and happier era for
France and for Europe. From that date the
old tyrannies began to totter and fall. In all
the struggles which have since taken place in
Europe between despotism ON the one hand
and liberty on the other the great republic of
the West has always been looked to as
model-a model detesed by the one party and
admired by the other We have but to recall
the memories of 1912, of 1880, of1s32, of 1913,
and to reflect on what has taken place in Spain,
in Italy, in France, In the Netherlands, in
Germany, to be convinced of the immense
power which the example of the United States
has been steadily exercising on Europe. 1t
was not, however, until we came forth from
our late civil war triumphant that the full
value of our republican institutions was seen
and appreciated. While our war lasted Europe
was taught to believe that republican insti-
t,itions, which had uniformly failed in Europe,
were doomed in A.nerica-the only part Of the
world in which they had at all chance to
succeed. With our war ended, the Union re-
stored, the return OF financial prosperity, the
reduction Of our debt and all our many other
signs Of healthful national life, has come a
change over the mind OF Europe. The govern
ment of the people, by the people and for the
people wins the hearts of oil nationalities.
The peoples are sick of useless and pampered
dynasties, ofeffete aristocracies and of 'bloated
ornaments" ''The United States of Europe"
is the latest and most sensible cry of the
burdened and weary peoples.
There are those who will laugh at the idea
of ''the United States of Europe" It is pre-
mature they say, and impossible. In times
like these, when revolution marches apace, and
when years seem pressed into minutes, ''pre-
mature and impossible" are words to be used
with caution. A universal republic, even a
general European republic, is not now a
,ooaihilitv Rut IL raupirna npIv n cli,,,,t
change in slight impulse given to the
course of events to make not only possible bu!
easy "a United States of Europe The Latin
nations are ripe for some such radical revolu-
ton. France is already republic. Spain i
without settled government and crying loudly
for republic All over Italy the republican
feeling is intense. If it should happen that
the whole south Of Europe should become re.
publican what good reason would exist fol
France Spain and Italy remaining apart
How many good reasons would exist for theil
becoming one! If these three great sections
of the Latin family were to go together, Por.
tugal would join them, Switzerland and Bel
GUM might follow and ''the United States O
| Europe" would be an accomplished fact
Should this latest republican experiment prove
at all successful the example Of the south
might soon tell upon the north, and German
and Scandinavian republics might inspire Grea
Britain and Russia with alarm. Grant repub
lican success in the south of Europe, and vino
dare say that confederation of all the Euro
pean States, great and small, is an impossi
bility in the year 1900.