Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-01

ally is indeed becoming very grave and one Of the
Inost serious symptoms is the apathy OF the rural
population. At the last election, out Of 10000 600
registered voters nearly SO per cent abstained from
voting. Now though even in Anglo Saxon countries,
where the habit of dscharging political duties is
strongest, there is always considerable percentage
Of absentees, the French proportion is much
larger than is compatible with healthy political
condition. 1t must also be understood that the
country vote in France is the conservative VOTE and
that the city element is the turb lent and anarehie
one; and that this latter vote is always polled
to the last unit, whereas the vote upon which con-
seryaive statesmen must depend is far less reliable
As regards the peculiar revival OF the colo.
MIXING spirit OF France manifested in the Tunis
expedition the Madagascar case, the Tonquin af-
fair, and the Congo experiment, it seems that the
first event was the result Of a very disgraeefu in
trgue, for which N. Roustan was almost solely re-
sponsible; while the others have perhaps been
taken up by the Government in the hope of di-
verting public attention, and creating mild in
terest in foreign affairs little national risk and
expense possible. Nevertheless it must be
proved that either the Madagascar or the Tonquin
affairs are not capable Of leading to serious en-
tanglements. and under existing circumstances
there certainly does not appear to be sufficient JUS
tification for either of them The Tuns expedition
had the result OF making strained relations with
Italy, and its reaction compelled the Freyeinet
Ministry to withdraw from Egypt altogether at the
critical juncture. The relations between France
and the European Powers have however been salts
factory the WHOLE and those between herself and
Germany have hea alr ia1
there is probably significance in this The Tunis
affair showed her, and also her watchful neigh
bors, that her military system, notwithstlnd-
ing all the Boosting of the last ten years, is
still very defective 1t is true that the experiment
was not fair one ard that the task imposed upon
General Fare which involved far more
confusion and difficulty than call for mobilization
would have done but still the results were unsatis-
factory, and the sub equent campaign against the
Khamirs also showed, or see red to show, that the
physique Of the army WAS low. These facts
have rendered 1t necessary for France to address
herself once more to army organization, and have
admonished her that more time must elapse
before she will be ready to take the field again. But
in truth nothing is further from the desires of the
French people than foreign war. The fact is hat
the French masses have become go absorbed in per-
sona that it is sometimes feared that they
have ceased to possess any love of country. They
resent all talk of war. They certainly no longer-f
they ever did for La Gloire" They want to
be left TO themselves to pursue their occupations
to make money, to enjoy their simple pleasures
Towards the close of the present year Anarchist
movement sprang up, and took the form of dyna.
mite explosions. 1t appears to have been mere
blind attack upon law and order the part of that
peculiar modern element which advocates simple
and absolute destruction of everything. Under a
stable government such movement would have no
significance. In this country for example, it would
be quietly put down. Bat France unfortunately
does not possess stable government, and there is
therefore danger that the more timid elements may
be induced ~ such disturbing movements to favor
return to autocracy Any such reactionary tendency
would be made use OF at once by all the factions
which are opposed to the republic but if France
keep clear of foreign war, and at least maintain
the forms of regular government for few years
longer, there seems reason why she should not
outgrow the most formidable of the dangers which
now menace her.
GERMANY.
Germany has had comparatively quiet year, its
most Important events having been economic meas
urcs and political contests Prince Bismarck disap-
pointed all his friends and rejoiced his enemies by
retracing his steps in the matter of the conflict
with the Papacy, and despite his valiant beast that
" We do not go to Cauossa," by unmistakably going
there What makes this the more vsxatious is that
the Chancellor gained absolutely rothing by his
surrender. OF course he expected Ultramontane
support but he has not had it On the contrary,
the only visible re;uit of the Governments aban-
donment Of its aggressive policy has been to make
the Ultramontanes corespondingly arrogant and
insolsnt. In fact the Government has obtained
nothing but humiliation and insult in return for its
pract al repeal of the Fak laws and its abandon.
ment of the fight with Rome, and the diplomatists
of the Vatican have laughed openly at Bismarck
course. Nor has his domestic policy been
crowned with greater success. His attempt to saddle
. great deficit on the Empire in order to help Prus.
sa has thus far failed entirely. The Re;chstag has
proved refractory not only in this but in regard to
the series of protective taxes which the Chan.
ceor desires to introduce, not az all for the benefit OF
the people, but for the aggran1lzement OF the titled
| landed class and few wealthy manufacturers As
for the people, the present policy of the Govern.
ment is most decidedly hostile to their interests
Take, for example, the new programme to pro.
hbit American pork products. 1t is perfectly clear
that this rrotectioDst measure OF late American
| pork produces have been introduced SO extensively
| iuto Germany that the poorer classes-tha,
| is, the bulk of the nation-have been
enabled to improve their standard of liv.
ing considerably. This has interfered with
the Germany cattle and hog raisers, of course and
therefore the Government, which is stone blind on
these economic questions, is actually about to pro
hibt the importation of American pork and hams
| 10 prevent the German masses from enjoying cheap
food. The older protectionist measures which
Bismarck has introduced during the plst three
years have, however, had far serious effects in
other directions They have, that is to say created
strong jealousy of Prussia, and they have sowed
the seeds Of dissension and inharmony among the
lesser States of the Empire. While Bismarck lives
this may not lead to any overt mischief but when
he passes away it is to be feared that the tooweaky
| c,mented Empire may be in danger of disintegra-
ton through the effects of his policy. 1t is indeed
remarkable with what uniformity his domestic pol
icies have proved failures. In fact he appears fitted
only for the government of foreign affairs and his
internal measures are so ilconsidered as often to
conflict with and Illustrate his external projects.
Among the most important of the latter for a long
time past is the settlement of the alliance between
Germany and Austria. That alliance may be said
| to render a war between Russia and Germany i'm.
possible, unless Russia should be bent upon
suicide, or should secure the alliance and CO.
operation of France and even then the odds would
be against her. For Germany and Austria together
can put nearly four millions of men in the field and
their troops confessedly the finest on the CONT
nent Of Europe while their military organization is
unequaled. Germany, therefore, may bs regarded
as STE from war for the present though she has
pay the pei ally Of military pre- emnence in constant
submission to the most onerous fiscal burdens.
AUSTRIA
Austria, too, has had quiet year, though her
recently-acquired Turkish dependencies have been
as usual more or less turbulent This tendency of
theirs to nsurrection is not altogether the effect of
innate depravity, but is partly attributable to the
historical fact that the Austrians do not know how
to govern, and that they have invariably, and at all
times, rendered themselves detested by their intol.
cradle arrogance brutality and severity In fact any
people who would could submit tamely to Aus
TRAN rule must be spritless creatures 1t is quite
possible that the Austrians themsel do not COM
prehend this, and attribute every rising against