The Morning herald., 1875-10-23
THE HERALD.
WILMINGTON, OCTOBER %. 1875.
FRANCE AND GERMANY.

As an evidence that the desire to acqulr
ilitarY glory is not dying out among tn
rench. 1t Is stated that but six person
ave proved refractory to the call for tn
serve force Of lS76.-Erchange.
Silent hard working France, has terri
BILE aceornt to settle, and she seems to b
preparing for its adjustment in every pos
sible way. Her industries were never s
prof.ably active, she is funding wealtl
from her earnings. that actually dazzles tn
eyes Of European fnanciers. Patient unde
great provocation, accomplishing, reso!'t
in her exclusion, of all and everylDi,r,
she can make herself determined to be
come rich, now that she has paid her deb
and.penalties, one would hardly expect il
connection with the exercise of the abov,
virtues, the active patriotic spirit, which
prompts all but 6 men, out of 10000
called for the reserve force of lS76to be
refractory or refuse to come forward fol
service, or legal exemption An advancing,
and generous liberality mark, the domestic
policy of France. In education she has
broken away from the illiberal hostility to
christianity which 30 eminently marks the
Liberals of Europe" and made educa-
tion free to all. Her people are happy,
industrious prosperous, and enriching -
!:er natural strength is shaping itself into
organized power for the protection of
France, and the recapture of her severed
provinces.
Now, as to Germany, what is her condi-
ton? Fearing we would be accused of
undue prejudice, we copy an article from
the London Saturday Rerieu, notorious
Anti-French Journal. "Ths complaint is
general that the country of the milliards
is poorer now than it was before it had its
monev from France. Everything costs
more; rent and food are dearer; workmen
want more wages and do less work. The
sudden influx Of money led to oyer-specu-
lation, and over-speculation led to collapse;
and the introduction Of a specie currency
has, either necessarily or through bad
management, caused some financial difficult
ties. All that can be said is that, whether
from causes special to Germany or from
causes operating through Europe, many
Germans with small fixed incomes-and
there are very many Germans with very
small fixed incomes-are having at pres
ent an unpleasant time A much more
serious matter is the deterioration of the
national character which is generally re-
eosnised as observable. Very great allow
ance, indeed, ought to be made for 4 pee-
pie which found itself raised to greatness
10 very quickly; and some Of the imper-
fectioas Of Germans which strike critics
now are net 10 much new as brought new
ly into prominence by the national sue
ce"'' Still the testimonies of many accor-
dant observers cannot be wholly at fault,
aud there is general concurrence of opin.
ion that since the war there has been not
only great increase of arrogance and of
what is expressed in French by chauvin-
ism, but general lowering Of the tone Of
feeling coarser way of regardin. and
treating women, more of brutality and cvn-
ici'm i'll the search for material enjoyment.
Certainly, if litera ture is to be taken a. a
test the creative intellect of Germany may
he said to be fast asleep. The German
mind is now creating nothing of the
slightest value, with one exception, per-
haps, Of the operas of Wagner. In one
respect the deterioration of Germany is
mdisputable, and can be distinctly traced
to the war and to the influence of Prussia"
All freedom and life have been stamped
oat OF the press, and the tyranny of espi-
onage has been pushed to an extreme
which is almost incredible to Englishmen.
Everybody in Germany is occupied watch
ing everybody. Everything is thought
worthy Of being noted, booked, and tran
scribed. Servants furnish the police with
journals Of the lives Of their employers,
and the condolences Of dinner table are
passed on by those who win confidence BY
smiles and bows. Naturally most of the
information thus collected is wholly use
leas. The entire population cannot be
taken up and imprisoned by itself. But
the tyranny Of the system makes itself
felt, and corruption goes necessarily with
tyranny.
This is sad picture Of Germany, in the
very flush of her victorious power. How
,erribly suggestive of unrest, is the snswer