The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-10-05
THE PRESS.
Wednesday Morning, October 8, 1870.
An Anfidofe for Bismarck.

Before Napoleon Third suffered pohtlca,
death his Cesarism, or the doctlihe 'na'
might makes right, backed by his million pay
onets. was the most dangerous foe that the |
dawnine liberty of Europe had. Now its |
most dangerous Toe is Bismarck, who abhors
C.esarism, (which of course gives the imperial
purple to him who has the power to grasp it.
but who cherishes, and to some purpose, the
still more atrocious dogma OF the divine right
OF legitimate Kings to absolute authority.
Nominally Prussia is a constitutional govern
ment, but as administered in his sovereign's
interest by Bismarck il has been and is des-
potism. So far as the great diplomatst and
statesman represents the new and rational
idea that the preservation "of balance of
power" in Europe is an absurdity, and that
reconstruction of the different States should
take place on the basis of nationality, he rep
resents the party ofrrogress; but SO far as he
is bitter, unrelenting foe to the most mod
crate forms of democratic government he is
the leader, because he is the strongest and
ablest, fall modern conservatives and reac-
tionists. The unity Of the German race being
nowvntually assured. Bismarck has done all
the good thatcan ever beexpected ofhim here
after l. is obvious that his efforts will be dl-
rected to the repression of any movement
among the people that seems likely 20 give
them the blessings tina. will flow from Ger
man unity instead of its redounding solely to
the glory of the King. Yes, Bisnarckism is a
far more formidable enemy of the people than
C@sarism, because it is older aud more deeply
rooted.
The International Working Mems Associa-
ton is an organization that was well known
TO close observers Of European affairs before
the present war broke out. When the pres
ent difficulties were beginning it became
known to many for the first time as society
whence proceeded the only voices which in
that hour of madness demanded peace. When
excursion with his son he gave peremptory
orders that in no event should the working
,uen be armed. He knew their deadly hostil-
ity to every form of imperialism.
The Internationals demand attention, for
they seem likely to be exceedingly prominent
world. There ore seUeral millions of them !;
and branches of the society already extend to
every country in Europe except Turkey The
members are democrats-more than that,
they are socialists than that, even, they
are communists. OF course men who be-
lieve that lands, machinery, inventions, means
of communication and in fact all the absolute
necessaries Of lille belong TO all alike, and not
to such as happen to have the power to mo-
nopolize them, are not the best bulwarks of q
throne. OF fcourse Bismarck is afraid Of
them. In Germany, if we may believe a re-
cent writer, he has organized spurious
workingmen's party as the only available
method of neutralizing the efforts of the
genuine reformers. Lately, too, the Prussian
government has experienced in most un-
pleasant way the influence of the Interua-
tionas, and has met the difficulty by impris-
oning their leaders. Since France became a
Republic, as might be expected, workingmen
everywhere, even in Prussia, have declared
against war upon their French brethren.
So Prussia, acting on the Bismarckian notion
of popular repression, just clapped the vulgar
wretches in prison, not even sparing the cele-
brated Jacoby, whose republicanism has al
ready made considerable noise in the world.
The International feature of this organiza-
ton is what makes it particularly effective
If it were confined to one people any despot
threatened by the working classes might cas-.
lily call upon his brother despots to defend
him-as the Bourbons called all Europe to de-
fend them and to uphold their throne three
quarters of century ago. This can still be
done, it seems, for even the workingnen have
not yet prevented the sacrifice OF France to
the ambition of two sovereigns- William and
Napoleon-who are now in harmony and
working for the accomplishment of common
end. But they have at least made their pow
er felt, and have given unmistakable indica-
tons ofwhat may be expected when the order
is still further strengthened. Four Congress
es of workingmen have been held, the first at
London III 1854, and the last at Basel in 1869.
When the next Congress meets is is to be
hoped that the workingmen will be strong
enough to dictate peace to Europe. 1t is one
of their notions that war falls upon them with
its heaviest burdens. and that while it is the
pastime of kings it is the death of the people.