The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-02-21
THE OLD PROPHECY.


(from 1926 Europe would be republi-
can or Cossaek. Is the battle begun
at Constantinople, which, haying end
ed, would solve the problem2 Fifty
years have passed and France in facts
and forms, and England in fact, are
solitary illustrations of republicanism
in European governments. When AL
exsnder, the grandfather of the present
Emperor of Russia, said to Napoleon
the Great at Tilsit, referring to the
Dardanelles, 81 must have the key that
unlocks the door of nv house, he little
thought that seventy years would
eiapss before Russian armies had forced
Turkey to surrender it. Give Russia
an open highway to the exterior world,
and the shores of the Caspian and
Black seas, and wide farming districts
along the Volga and other rivers of the
empire, will enrich the worlds COM
merce, and Russia wih grow in wealth
and power as never before. Not only
are India and Egypt endangered, but
the barbaric splendor, resistless growth
aud forces of the empire will over
shadow and shape the destinies of Eu-
rope. Bismarck and Moltke and the
German Emperor are growing old, and
these constitute the only insupersble
barriers to Russian progress and DOM
nation. Deathless hates and jeal-
ousies of Prussia and France at
this hour render both impotent.
France dares not, in the presence OF
Prussia, ally herself with England,
and if Bismarck and MacMahon stand
aloof England will hardly be able to
drive the Russians out of Constantine
pie or close again the doorway to Mos
COW and st. Petersburg which Alexan-
der sought to open eighty years ago.
There is one blessed fact incident to
these conflicts of kings and emperors.
They are all burdened with enormous
indebtedness. Austria, arming, it is
said, to cooperate with England, is
bankrupt. Russia owes enormous sums.
England's debt is even greater than
that of Russia; Germsny's financial
condition is even worse, and the labor
ing people of Germany are suffering
for bread as never before. The de-
monetiZation of silver and maintenance
of great armies have enriched capital
lists and impoverished the working
CLASSES until poverty alone prevents the
depopulation of wide districts of the
empire. Private letters from different
States received here are devoted to re-
cltals of the woes of the working peo-
pie of Germany. The toll and life
blood and freedom of the many are
ruthlessly sacrificed, even by the old
Emperor William, whom the people
Venerate, that the few may be aggrand-
lied even as in the United States, the
central government ministers to the
greed and omuipotence of the plutoc-
racy of the East that these remote
States may be poverty stricken and en-
slaved. Germany led the way in de-
monetizing silver, while France more
wisely used the abundant coin
to stimulate popular energy and enter
prise. Frauce to-day is the richest
country in Europe. The people have
more wealth and the treasury of the
republic, like its army, is in admira-
BILE condition. Such are the straits to
which borrowing kings and emperors
are reduced that the coming conflict,
however numerous the crowned partic-
Ipants, must be brief as terrible. The
Russian treasury is utterly empty.
The imperial troops are maintained by
a paper currency and local and forced
loans. Each of the great powers must
mobilize million men. The abstrac-
ton of such multitudes from fields of
industry aud the worthlessness of paper
money with which Europe, in case of
contenental war, will be flooded. must
render the conflict among the nations
short, sharp and terrible to the last
degree. Aud when it ends kings
will hold scepters with feeble
grasp and occupy thrones having
hardly as strong and deep foundations
as thuse on which they rest to day.
Poor and needy and starving armed
multitudes will hardly be disbanded in
peace. Anarchy may supervene and, as
has happened in France, despots may
be exiled and republics established.
Did the chained prophet of St. Helena
foresee these ends of the conflict now
mmiuent3 And who can tell, if the
frst blow be struck to-day at Constan-
tinople, whether Europe, next year,
will be republican or Cossack2