The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-10-16
LIBERALISM IN EUROPE.

changes IN European politics within the
past ten years. A single decade is but
brief period in national history. Yet
within that time the political aspect of
all Europe has been changed. In some
instances the change has been effected by
arms and violence, but mostly by the
quiet and continued infusion of what has
been denomnated liberalism" into the
various forms of government peculiar to
the different European States. Ten years
ago an Emperor was on the throne of
France. Ten years ago the German En-
pire as now constituted did not exist
Less than ten years ago the Moslem En-
pire was dominant over all of Southeast
ern Europe.
The Liberalism of which men speak as
n common sentiment infusing itself
among European nationalities assumes
different names and manifests itself under
different forms among different peoples
In France those liberal ideas have taken
form in the Republic. In Italy they
have shaped Constitutional Monarchy.
The same has resulted among the Sean
dinavian States. In Germany they
are now agitated under the name of
Socialism" and in Russia under
the name of "Nihilism." But
whatever may be the local
title or special form this common senti-
mcnt may take, its origin is found in the
Liberalism that has been for years per-
vading the minds of the common people
of all European countries; and which has
wrought and is still working important
changes in the public affairs of that con-
tinent.
By whatever name announced, those
ideas that are commonly denominated
Liberal, wherever digested into doctrine,
look to a reconstruction of the political
systems heretofore prevalent in Europe
Doubtless the extreme and protracted
depression in the various industries Of
the world during the past five years has
done much to develop those special forms
of thought among men. When men are
idle from compulsion and hungry from
destitution, radical ideas touching the
principles of government and the organi-
cation of society come uppermost in their
minds. When men are suffering from
want through no fault of their own, and
zee others rolling in abundance through
no merit of their own, contrasted ideas
become spontaneous and irrepfessible.
From this cause it is that Liberalism has
become a common sentiment of the COM
mon people from the Gulf of Finland to
the mouths of the Tiber.
The protoplasm from which this Lib
eralism has been evolved was undoubted-
ly found in that abstract Ratonalism SO
long prevalent in the schools of Germanic
philosophy. This Rationalism, 50 pecu-
iiarly favored of the German mind, was
originally little more than a pleasant
dogma, an agreeable intellectual abstrac-
ton. But when the active, bustling,
hristling sentiment of the French Com,
Bnunism impinged upon this slow-paoed
system of German Rationalism new
product resulted, and European Social
ism was born. The war had brought
them in contact; but the result did not
end with the war. The intellectual ac.
s>ities stimulated by that strife have
survived the causes of the strife; and
have been spreading throughout Europe
working changes that are already ma
t;onal and historic.
1t is with this form of Liberalism
known as Socialism" that the German
monarchy is now wrestling; and its con
troll is taxing the powers of the great
Chancellor of that Empire. 1t is there
charged with the recent attempts at as
sassination that have shocked the world
The Liberal leaders deny the charge, anG
fay twas the work Of madmen. But