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


Russian railways all eonyerging upon the German
frontier, being hurried to completion, has justi
fed the Berlin Government in increasing its frontier
garrisons and taking ottsr precautions. Nothing
but the intolersbe state OF her internal affairs
could induce Russia to engage in war with her
powerful neighb0r, and since the Austro German
alliance even this stimulus would appear insufficient
But II is certain that the condition of the country
is entirely unsatisfactory that the finances are al
most in hopeless STATE. and that discomfort pre-.
walls among al classes. What the end of this fer
gs.snt viii be it is at present impossible to see.
ITALY
While Italy has been making some quiet CONNER
cal progress her politics have not been altogether
satisfactory and her attitude towards some of her
neghbors might have been more amiable. But
the truth is that Italy may be said scarcely to
derstand herself as yet. It is still less than ten
years since she became united kingdom and she
is suffering even to-day from the after effects of
the revolutionary movement which helped her SO
greatly then. The Itdlid irridelte party which
has caused so much embarrassment to her statesmen
owed its existence to the Garlbaldan agitation
which did SO much to foster and keep alive national
enthusiasm. and because OF its past services it has
been found very difficult to deal with an element
which, under the monarchy, is hndrance and
cause of trouble only But this has not been Itay's
main difficulty. fer most serious drawback at
present is the national vanity, which insists that
new and feeble Government should demand a
place among the great Powers, which is ever ready
to manifest irritation Itay is not admitted to the
front rank among nations, which viii not rest salts
fed until colossal army and navy have been estab.
lished, which, in fact seeks to aggrandize the coun-
try by sheer force Of selfassron. All this is very
dangerous, because Italy really is not even sec.
ondrate power, and cannot become anything more
for o long time. 1t has neither the wealth, the
stability the prestige, the morale, the civiliza-
ton to assume the rank it aspres to. l. is taxed
to death already. recent writer estimates that
the taxltion is thirty five Ter cent CT the income of
the country and that is enormous 1t has large
army, nominslly, but the equipment is poor, the
discipline bad the dietary insufficient and there is
nothing in any of the military arrangements to
warrant belief that the new Italian army would
prove more formidable than its predecessors; and
one Italian, II. Galenga has put it on record that
no Italian army since the twelfth century
has ever Won success in the field. Great
sums have been expended of late years upon
irouclads The "Dandoo" ard the "Duilio'
represent the farthest development Of naval offensive
and defensive science. But the battle Of LISA
unfortunately showed that Italian seamen lacked
stability and il the crews are not trustworthy the
most formidable armament will fail to secure vic
tory. The army and navy in fact are sources of
mischief only, for they encourage that irritable and
ole baca tad
markedly during the past two or three years, and
which is liable TO bring her into serious difficulties
at any time. Thus she was at one time almost on
the point of an actual rupture with France over
the Tnis question and this past year she has been
ruling all her feathers the supposed disr, gard
OF Italian interests in Egypt. She appears to have
thought that she ought to occupy the same position
there as England and France. Then she has been
pouting at Austria, and again at Germany, and
generally conducting herself in very imprudent
way since she ought to that at present she is
really only existing on suferance. The relations OF
the Italian Government to the Papacy remain unal.
tered The Pope persist in regarding himself as in
prison. and the Court persists in taking notice of
the Pontif s sukiness. It is evi lent that if the
Pope means to hold out he will have ample oppor-
Iuulty " 10 So lcr Iuefe 10 IIS ltaSI CuauCt
of any concession being made by the Italian Gov
ernment, or of any other Power interfering on be.
half of the Vatican. The latter has put itself il
false position and however dis1greea5le the neces-
sty may be it will have to acknowledge its mistake
sooner or later, and come out into the world again
At present the world is beginning to forget the
Pope and that is undoubtedly the very worst thing
that could happen to him.
SPAIN.
OF late years there has always been more or less
revolution and disorder in some part of SPAIN
The country does not seem to have recovered from
the civil tuniults and upaettings which have ag.
tated it from the beginning of the century Rem
ni5cences of the Carlist- Christine wars are
continually cropping out, and at intervals the
more distant communities seem to fall to pieces,
they did during the Napoleonic campaigns, or as
they did centuries further back, during the long
struggle against the Moors. Civil war and brig
andage poverty and Digotry, lawlessuess and igno-
rance, have made very difficult problem for the
people of Spain. Yet they have lattery made some
decided progress. Commerce is becoming estab.
llshed. Manufactures on the increase Rail
roads are being introduced throughout the country.
Schools are being established And if the Gov
eminent somewhat stronger, or the people
generally were less addicted to revolution, there
can be no doubt that the prospects would be very
much brighter. So far as legislation is concerned,
Spain bears out the conclusion which history in.
culcates, that the Latin races have no genius for
self-government, but that when they teach them.
selves to act it is only by incessant struggles
against their natural propenstles that they ever
restrain themselves from letting liberty drift
into license, and that into anarchy Republican
institutions could not be acclimated in Spain,
but monarchical institutions on the constitutional
plan, partake much of the republican spirit that
the Cortes continually in doubt to its real
Intentions, and continually leaning towards 6em-
ocratic and even ultra democratic measures, and
then checking ITSELF AS to the masses, it is very
difficult TO comprehend what they desire or prefer.
There is OF course revolutionary and emphati-
cally "red element, which is always to the front
when there is any prospect of fun cion. But it
is not representative of the rural classes and only
of part of the urban population, though it is SO
noisy to seem stronger numerically
than it really is. Despite her many drawbacks how
ever, the probability is that Spain is making slow
but steady ADVANCE and that if the Government can
prevent any serious outbreak during the next ten
years the monarchy may count upon an extend.
ed lease Of life.
TURKEY
During the past year the Ottoman Empire has cut
but small figure in European politics. Early in
the year there appeared to be some possibility of
rupture between the Porte and Greece, and those
who remembered the indecent and cowardly be-
havior Of the latter when Turkey was engaged in
life. and death struggle with Russia, were hoping
that the Sultan would be enabled to give his mean
nelghbor a sound thrashing. But Greece never
wants TO fight anyone who is prepared, and
therefore as soon as it became apparent that the
Porte still possessed plenty of troops to deal with
any possible Greek movement the latter quietly
abandoned. In all 9th respects the condition
the remnants of the Ottoman Empire have con-
tinued to be as bad as possible. Government, in
Asia Minor, and even in the farther parts Of
Roumelia may almost be said to have ceased. There
Is not so much plumber of the people as formerly,
but only because the people have already been
stripped to the skin. The Turkish army has long
been without pay or equipments. The soldiers are
the most faithful and patient in the world, well
as among the bravest But the whole Ottoman
structure is crumbling into ruins, and there is no
desire effort on the part Of anybody to prevent
it. The Sultan has been intriguing in tie basest and