The New York herald., 1875-01-20
The Menace OF Germany and the Fu-
ture of EurOpe-Republican Means

lished yesterday, to the effect that the armed
conditopsp spt Germany excites alarm in Europe
that 'the momentary dreams of peace have
passed away" md that Germany recognizes
the stern necessity that what she won by
arms she can hold only by arms and while
arms are in her hands," is not a gratifying
announcement for our new year We sup
pose the purpose of the Times article is to
stimulate public opinion in England toward
increasing the army and the navy But the
prospect is painful 1t is reflection upon
our civilization to see nations as rich and
mighty and enlightened as Germany, Austria,
France and England straining every nerve,
burdening themselves with taxes, invading in
dividual liberty and compelling the conscrip-
| ton, retarding education and national growth,
tanning the spirit of distrust and enmity in
the interest of ambition and power. Europe
may be said to have come to stand
still as compact Of communities,
and to be simply camp OF armed
men. We can attribute this to many
causes, familiar enough to the student OF
history, but at the present time, the
principal cause is the ambition of Germany
and the blunders made by Prince Bismarck
in dealing with France II Germany were
content to consolidate its unity without
feeling that it was necessary to destroy France,
we could understand how there might be-
peace. But we see no way to peace except
through struggle, the extent and ferocity OF
which we cannot bear to contemplate. Prob
ably, as the divines tell US, we are entering
upon the battle of Armageddon, or, as Disraei
prophesies, q great crisis is about to break
upon mankind, the effect of which viii be to
change the face of Europe This is, indeed, a
dismal prospect for the new year. But we see
no escape from it. When nations become
armies what remains for them but war? So
long as nations will abandon themselves to
government resting upon privilege and
force how can they escape from war?
Take this latest phenomenon in Continen-
tai politics-the Spanish revolution. The
apparent suddenness of this revolution, or, as
We should say, usurpation, excites universal
surprise among those who do not carefully
study the inner influences that control Euro
pean governments. Even in America we
which begins by asserting that we,
the Americans, are the chosen race
on Gods footstool, that we none are
fit for republicanism, that the European
nations have not arrived at the enlightenment
necessary to enjoy the blessings and discharge
the responsibilities Of pure democracy. The
European press tells US that republicanism is
failure, that of course it must be failure,
that it is only another name for Communism,
and that the true development of the princi-
Piles of Washington can only be seen IN the
shooting of the hostages and the burning of
the Hotel de Vile. Accordingly, whenever
republican effort is made in Europe We have
this chorus of disparagement and defeat.
Whenever there is usurpation in behalf
of a throne, Bourbon or Bonapartist,
we have the song Of exultation. There
has been no government in this century more
truly wretched than the Empire of Napoleon
ILL; and yet during hie reign Napoleonism
was almost principle ip American politics.
We worshipped the glittefof name, the as
sertion of force, the paseantry OF a court
which corrupted France to embellish Paris.
During the whole progress of the Empire-at
least until Maximilian' adventure in Mexico
Napoleon had the moral support of the Ameri-
can people.
When we look at some of these modern
revolutions, the overthrow of the CASTELAR,
Republic, the return of Alfonso, the sudden
ness, the apparent unanimity with which it is
accomplished, we can understand why Euro
pean republicans should despair of ever found
ing democratic nationality. Yet the finest
Republic in the world-better in many ways
than our owns Switzerland. When we
look deep into European society our wonder
should be, not that those poor French
and Spanish republics have gone out
before a Whit of grapeshot but that
they had any life at all. We are
accustomed to think of .republicanism in
member only the guillotine and the reign of
terror, and the barrcades and the Commune.
But look, for instance, at the causes which
produced the first Revolution, at the unspeab-
able miseries inflicted upon France by gener-
atoms of Bourbon kings, oppression in every
form, poverty, sorrow, war, national degrada-
ton; and the marvel is not that there was
revolution, but that it was delayed so long
The best evidence OF the wisdom OF the
Revolution is the fact that no king has ever
ascended the throne since that time without
making an acknowledgment of his liberal
ideas. Even this young Alfonso talks about
being ga liberal constitutionalst- Before
the Revolution men ruled by divine right;
since then they have adopted the pretext of
''the will of the people" The excesses of the
French Revolution we're not the fault Of
republicans, but Of the royalists. When we
look at all the modern revolutions
that have since taken place we find
that the disturbing element, the party that