The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-10-13
GERMAN INTERVENTION IN SPAIN.
[From the Pail Mall Gazette, Sept. 241

from the Pail Mall Gazette, Sept. 24l
lt IS now some two months since rumOr, en-
couraged alike by the attitude OF the Berlin gov.
eminent and by certain mysterious utterances OF
its Official semi Official journals, began to couple
the names OF Germany and Spain together, and
to credit the daring statesman who guides the
councils Of the Empire with designs more or less
imminent upon the throne of the distracted pen.
lnsula. These rumOrs were received in this coun-
try In the IN inner IN which any rumors calculated
to disturb our faith III the absolute tranquility and
nopeiulness OF the Continental prospect are in
varlaby received; that is to say, with COntemptu-
Gus incredullty. They were puoh-poohed as Idle
tales, to winch only the quidnunc and the
aarmlst would give credence or cur
rency; and the usual commonplaces by
which we attempt TO persuade ourselves that
other nations who have ambitions to crafty must
necessarily think as we do who have long since
poyed with the usual confidence and competency.
However, we gave at that time certain reasons for
thinking. not tnat the rumor in question was well
founded-on that point we had not nor have we, any
opinlOn-but that there was in IL no inherent I'M
probability; and that to dismiss 1t as altogether
smut our eyes to some OF the painest OF the facts
about u.s. First, there was sucn evidence OF an
towards seeking ioothod In spain as was sup
piled by the now strangely forgotten fact Of the
Hohenzollern candidature; and next we had
and additional motives for pushing S:s'i It
in a struggle Ouhance with the Papal power,
and cannot be expected to regard with eqi amin
ity the possibility OF an ultramontane adventurer
Berlin. ' = There is no denying that,
given ten years Of strong ana capable
rule-ten years OF stern repression OF the
iactious and corrupt tntriguers, the tur-
bulent priests aud the windy demagogues
who now prey upon the vitals OF the country-ten
years during which taxes should be collected,
public obligations regarded and thrifty admins
tration substituted for wholesale waste and NAL
versatlon-and an era OF sucn prosperity might
dawn upon Spain as has not been witnessed for
more than q generation. These are the advan-
tages which Spaln and, indirectly, Europe,
might derive from the establishment OF German
he would no doubt have to be, by German bayo-
nets. What the evils OF the present state of things
are we all know; and as time brings no mtiga-
ton OF them, but on the contrary, increases tnem
brutalizes the strife, and adds to the number of
useless atrocities by which 1t is dlsgraced, the dis
gust OF Europe will more and more incline her TO
such pr0ftless horrors We ourselves occupy the
proud position OF the chief Occurring" Power IN
Europe, and we, like all middle-aged moral lectur
ers who have outlived and consequently forgotten
o jeunesse ord0euse, are peculiarly, though un.
consciously, untitled to play the part with grace.
We are ourselves apt to Iorget-what Germany
Is sure to remember-that the grounds on which
she would justify an occupation OF Spain are pre-
cisey those upon which we justify our occupation
OF India. The difference between US and Germany
merely is that we have got as much territory as we
want and perhaps q little MORE while Germany
has her c0nquests to make. We must compare
her policy In the nineteenth with ours in the
eighteenth, or, II not, she Is pretty sure to draw
the comparison herself At the worst, II Germany
threatened Intervention and we demonstrated.
she could put herself normally In the right by
Offering as matter OF form to resign the right OF
we should, she could then go forward as the sole
accredited champion or humanity" not, as she
but simply to undertake, failing all other Powers,
q necessary and benefcent WORK.