The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-07-23
German Civilization Entitled to Rule
Europp-

BoNAPAuTE aims at being both the CESAR
and the CuARLEMAGNE of the age. In throw,
ing down the gauntlet to Germany, he mi
hates q momentous conflict which bids fair TO
eliminate in the supremacy Of Teutonic in
Huence all over the Old World.
Under the guidance of BISMARCK Germa-
ny has already attained to commanding
position such as she has not before occupied
since the days of the Grrmanic Empcrors. She
overshadows England and most other Eu-
ropean nations and BoNAPAIrE, afraid lest
France may forever lose that prest ge which
she has SO long enjoyed, invites the Germans
W mortal combat, as if superiority in civil.
zation could be determined by brute force,
and by mere military duel
Amsn like LOUIS NAPOLEON, who rose to
supreme power by the aid OF the bayonet,
cannot imagine any higher test of c.vliAa-
lion than superior skill in the art of blood
shed. But in truth whatever may be the
temporary issue of battles on the Moselle
or on the Rhine, the relative claims Of the
two countries to preponderance in the coun-
ellis Of nations must be finally decided Ivy
their respective standing in the scale Of
progress
Now, with all imaginable admiration for
che genius of the French especially for the
brilliant achievements of French publcists,
savants, and artists. il must be conceded that
Germany, the land which gave birth to the
Reformation, 20 civil and religious liberty, is.
on the whole far more enlightened country
than France The masses of the French
peasaniry continue 20 this day TO he clods AMI
tools in the hands OF designing rulers but il
10 not 30 with the Germans. In no country,
not excepting the United Statea, is education
30 widely ditfIs' among the masses Of the
people as in Germany In no country is
there q greater enthusiasm for the noblest
aims OF civil Laton than in Germany. And
II she should win in the pending war, and
should thus succeed in placing herself at the
head of Europe she will be entitled to that
position not merely by the strength OF her tri-
umphant armies, but by that of her great
ideas
France Will always be great military and
naval power, and n nation celebrated for its
literature art, and science and the skill of
it's manufacturers. But SO long as the masses
of the French population remain in the be
nighted condition in which they now are, the
French claim TO prominence must be founded
merely upon brute force AMI statecran, and
not upon general cnligh, -nnrnt OF the
people.
By kind of historic law Of grav.tation,
Germany, with her high moral integrity,
her culture, and her primordial love of civil
and religious freedom, steps into tie fore
ground of events at time when tho pro-
Rress of Italy has weakened the temporal
sovereignty of the Popes when France has
lost her vantage ground in the scale of in.
fuence by committing her destincs 10 the
care of an INSCRIPTIONS and unprincipled
adventurer; and whom England has come as
II were TO Il stand still in the development Of
national power. In this country we love the
French for the part they took in the cetab
lishment of our national independence and
for their many fascinating qualities Of heart
and mind. But when the qu ,tion arts :
TO whom we shall give our sympathics in n
great historic struggle, we must naturally
throw them in :he scale Of The ycople which,
by the greater enlighterm.ut Of its passes
promises to become superior agency Of so.
elal progress. That people being the Ger
mans, we have no alternative but to side
with Them however much we may regret
that the masses OF the French s'.oulI not be
equally advanced, 30 as % cutitlc them to the
same place in our regard,