The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-12-27
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OUR EUROPEANLETT

OUR EUROPEAN LETTER
From our Regular correspondent
BERLIN, GERMANY
December, 2, rs.
} To one who has been absent from this
city for some years the general impres
sion upon revisiting it is of strangely
mixed character. The exaggerated in
lation that followed the Franco German
war has been succeeded by so total and
unlocked for a collapse in social, politi-
cal, and financial matters,by such mental
and moral alterations, which the Ger
man in his overweening self esteem
deemed matters of the past, that he now
stands bewildered before the flaws in
his social fabric. Gloom pervades the
city, subdued awe, a feeling of incerti-
tude, that strikes the observer at once.
Everyone appears afraid of what may
yet be in store. The hopes that ran so
high are damped to extinction. There
is depression everywhere. 1t has been
the fashion of hate, and with some Justice
to complain of the state of social affairs
at home; but it is not till one comes here
and talks with intelligent Germans that
one becomes aware how much we have
cause to be resigned to our own de-
pressed state. ABeyond all doubt, the
disease called Social Democracy is eating
into the very vitals of the German Gov
ernment as at present constituted; and
the more intelligent minds are well
aware that it is idle to hope that such an
evil can be abolished by Act of Parlia-
ment. But even these intelligent minds
approve of the measure; even with them
coercion" is the watchword they hold
with Matthew Arnold's of Force till
right is ready" It seems impossible to
make German of whate yer shade of
political opinion Except obviously the
Social Democrats) understand that it is
possible that anarchy cannot be removed
by despotism. The Germans worship
with blind devotion a store of force
called the State, which they regard as all
powerful and they seem to believe it
able to reyolutionize country in the
turn of a hand. They run to the State
with every grievance. great and small.
To argue with them on this point is use
less. The faith has been imbibed with
their earliest ideas, has been drilled into
them at school and in camp. 1t is quite
a characteristic of the nation, this unsha-
ken confidence, this unmeasured belief
in oficialism, Notwithstanding the fact
that the power they invoke has again
and again showed itself incompetent 10
deal with the circumstances they de-
plore.
In nation so intrinsically healthy as
the German, the present state of things
must be regarded as transient For the
time being, however, it presents aserious
spectacle. One point is especially to be
regretted: those influences which should
lead the masses into purer channels ap-
peal, on the contrary, to their materialist
and sensuous side. refer to the theatre
and to the press. The theatres produce
every new French play as soon as it sp
pears-not adapted, but literally transla-
ted from The. Ereneh. tongue, which caa
allow itself inmendoez, into the homely
German, in which spade is very much
spade The demi monde spirit has in
vaded the domsin of literature. A de-
plorable want of dignity, love of scan
dal and impropriety, are creeping into
the press. At no time has the journalistic
standard Of Germany been high; she al
ways lacked newspapers of leading i'm
portance and standing; the reason being
perhaps, that the Germans are not news
lovers like ourselves, and that no person
dreams of taking more than one newspa-
per. and he often shares that with a
reighbor, content to read his news, such
as it is, some hours old But low as the
standard was, it was at least a pure and
moral one; and this is unhapp:ly no
longer the case. The very papers that
rail against the organs of the Social
Democrats furnish their readers with
poison more insiduous and as deadly
Indeed, the literature of the Social Dem
ocratic press is more noisy than corrupt
ing. The arguments employed are in
most cases so shallow, the data so incor-
rect, that if they had not gained notori-,l
ETY. owing topersecution and suppression
they would probably, in the majority of
cases, soon have died natural death. If
however, at this moment paper of this
nature can hardly Re obtained through
legitimate channels, their secret circu-
lation is likely to prove the more extern
sive and formidable. New papers start
into being under the mildest OF names.
which within few days are coniscated
as Socialist. Nevertheless, the leaders are
very clearly resolved not to be quietly
suppressed. Time alone can solve the |
question what will result from all this
ferment. Meanwhile, it is sad to see a |
great people so lost in false patriotism,
culpable Indifference, hatred and discon-
tent.
Duelling is becoming a contemplate
institution in France, and childish in |
the extreme, the principal object Of the
seconds and combatants beng to take
special care that nobody is hurt. A duel
with swords was fought ON the Belgian
frontier on Tuesday, between N Taine,
nephew Of the Academician, and Baron
d. Herpent. After eight passes without
result, the seconds declared honor salts
fed. On Wednesday afternoon a duel
with pistols at thirty PAGES, came af at
Plessis Piquet, between NJ Ernest Dre-
ole, a Bonspartist Deputy, and u Gilbert
Martin, caricaturest, and editor Of the
Don QuichOtte; of Bordeaux One shot
only was exchanged, which resulted in
no harm 20 either combatant
Count Potocki died on Tuesday at his
splendid mansion in the Avenue Fried
land, aged sixty four. He was very
wealthy, and it is recounted that he got |
himself naturalized in England in order
to disinherit his son, with whom he was