The Portland daily press., 1870-11-22

Americans complain of their taxes. They
are burdensome enough now, beyond ques-
ton. But there are alternating circumstances.
They are selfimposed and consequently legit
innate, and ''the blood tax" is rarely levied.
The "biood tax" is what Senator Sumner
falictously calls the exaction Of military SER
vice by European sovereigns from their SUBJ
jccts. 1t is levied constantly, and it is enor-
nous. Three times in the last six years Prus-
STA has engaged in wals, two of them of
great magnitude. In all of them German
blood has been shed in rivers ostensibly for
fatherland, but really for Bismarck and Will
liam. Within twenty years Austria has twice
resorted to the sword. France within the
same period has been engaged in four foreign
wars and has suffered one bloody revolution
at home on account of the heartless adven-
turer who is now in retircmentsat Wilhelm
shohe. Meanwhile England has been party
to the Crimean war, suppressed the Indian
revolt, made raid into China and subjugated
Abyssinia. In speaking of France we have
made no account of that nations uninter-
lupted progress in the conquest of Algeria,
its occupation of Rome where it has several
times been obliged to protect the Pope by
force of arms. and its participation in the in
vasion of China Italy was engaged in the
wars of 1857 and 1856, besides those minor
conflicts which have finally given the whole
of the Peninsula to the House of Savoy.
Russia has had not only the great conflict of
1854, but has kept Up perpetual warfare on
her Eastern borders which from its remote
ness has attracted little notice. The subju-
cation of Circassia has also cost Russia an
immense price in blood and treasure. All
this since 1850.
With all our troubles on this side of the
Atlantic we have had to endure nothing like
the succession Of disasters that has overtaken
the people of Europe. Our one war since
1850 was not fought to crafty the ambition of
princes or to enlarge the power of favored
classes. TWAS war for principle, the like
OF which has not been seen in Europe during
this generation at least The tax of blood
was large. but it was paid by the people for
the people.
But the magnitude of the "blood tax" is
not measured by the loss and suffering Incl
dent to state of fragrant war; In the inter-
walls between the swiftly recurring campaigns
the people of Europe have been compelled to
support great armies and navies, such as were
engaged during our civil war in su5duing the
rebellion. The following statistics, given thess
other day by Gen. Sherman, who quoted them
by the European War Register for 1868, can
not fail to excite in every mind hope that
the existing crisis in European politics will
end in the establishment of republican form
of government by at least majority of the
States:
Russia has 100000 people, standing ar
my of ,466,000 men of all arms, and A ships |
of war, with 2,77S guns: Turkey has, in Eu- |
ropean Turkey, 16,500,000 people; in Asia,
eludes the Khedive in Egypt, who has good |
army OF $4,000, mostly differed by Ameri-
cans. She has force in European Turkey of /
222,192 regulars; 100000 regulars in the prov
.inees, and 100000 regulars in reserve. 1t is
claimed by reports from Egypt that she has
100000 men, but Gen. Sherman does not
think SO. He says she may have added
enough to her ranks in the past year to give
her 100000. She has 1856 ships, with 2,37O |
guns. Great Britain has 3OySOo,OOo people in
England, Scotland and Ireland. Her army
numbers 13S,961 regulars, 12s,5SO regularly
organized militia, $4,000 organized cavalry
volunteers, and 163, 900 volunteer militia held
in reserve. She has 466 ships. Italy has a.
100000 people; 376,721 regular troops, 1917 900 |
reserved regulars, 96 ships of war, with 1O22 |
guns. Austria has 81, 100000 people: 100000 |
regulars, $4,000 garrison troops, and 100000 |
militia regularly organized. Also, 81 ships,
with sos guns.
If hostilities should break out between this
country and some foreign nation tomorrow
we doubt if our standing army would amount
to more than twenty thousand men for active
service.