Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-03-22
~ tho World Retrogradingy- y-sin-
Eu1ar DEVELOPMENTS In Europe.


more nutocratic than it was one hun
dred years ago. We are now about to
be treated to tha spectacle Of the revival
Of the old Holy Alliance, Russia having
at last surrendered her claim to admin
istering upon Turkey and being willing
10 SEQ even Austria got the fairest allot-
ment of the Sick Mans effects for the
privilege Of being admitted to member
ship in the new despotic ring. Mean.
while all the signs indicate that higher
plane than has been thought prudent
for years Is about to be struck on the old
feudal keynote Of the right divine of
Kings to misgovern mankind. The ele-
ments Of resistance to such rcactionary
programme are by no means so great,
apparently, as they were one hundred
years ago. Then the French govern.
msnt demonstrated its ability. without
m ally in the world, and even deserted
BY tho United States, to hold It's own
against the whole Of Europe. The most
sxtravagant believer in the puissance of
France to-day would hardly claim for
shat gallant nation present ability to
contend with Europe single-handsd.
That definite conspiracy has been or
ganizsd against the republican idea in
Europe Is very apparent. Never before
have there been such incessant hobnob.
bings between crowned heads and their
heirs apparent and expectant. The right
of asylum for political refugees is now
msnaced in determined way that has
had no parallel in the recent history Of
Europe. England and France will bo
the most animated scene of this reac-
tionary struggle to which every despot
Il lending himself with brothsrly ardor.
II is extremely doubtful whether John
Ball can be brought to abandon his ira.
dItional policy in this regard; but,
-'shouId hc DO 80, France would find her
self isolated and would be compelled to
submit to the iron prescription.
Unquestlonably organized political as.
sassination has had much TO do with this
great energy Of the crowned heads. 1t
4 lsngue for self. defence. 1t has been
discovered that there is no such divinity
hedging round King as will protect
him from the death wrapped up in the
subtle and powerful explosives of the
present day. The contest between the
anarchists aud the despots would seem
to be very unequal one, and the worst
thing about it all is that the cause Of
moderate and intelligent republicanism
suffers from the excesses Of the ex.
tremists.
Forty years ago the cause OF republi.
canism was in much better plight in
Europe than now. There was then
large and determined democratic ele-
ment In nearly all the European despot.
isms which was crushed out with great
difficulty, and which would not have
been subdued at all II it had not been
for the help of Russia, It was powerful
enough to overturn the government OF
Louis Philippe in France, it was dom.
inant in Italy. it nearly disintegrated
the Austrian empire. while it almost put
an end to the Hohenzollern dynasty.
What has become of all these strong
patriotic fervors, In all probability tho
safety valve was found in the large Ger
man immigration to the United States,
. guarantee of quietude in Germany
which Bismarck is unwisely endeavoring
10 shut off.
The first Napoleon in all matters
which did not relate to his inordnate
personal ambition was an unusually
sagacious man. In one of his converse.
tions with the Count do las Casas at st.
Helena he expressed the opinion that
Europe would in hundred years Ell ther
be republican or Cossack. That he was
egregiously wrong in this outgiving we
all now know. Russia is not now near.
ly SO important relatively as she was in
1915. When Alexander figured in that
year at review in conquered Paris at
the head of sixty thousand OF his
picked troops he was by all odds
the most important sovereign in
Europe. Nicholas was relatively as
important a potentate when he crushed
out the Hungarian insurrection in ls4s-
year in which Kings had a melancholy
experience all round. Just now, in spite
of the prediction OF Bonaparte, the
strongest military power in Europe is
Germany and both the republican and
the Cossack are cooling their heels on a
back seat.
How long all this will last is an in.
teresting question. The death of two
very old gentlemen, that OF the Emperor
Wilhelm, lightweight years old, and OF
Bismarck, who is about ten years his
junior, will have very important in
fuencc upon the shape events will take
in the remaining years of the nineteenth
century.
Meanwhile, one thing is very apparent
The cause of republicanism. which
Americans hold to be the sum of all
political good, is retrograding and with
it the world, especially that portion of
it known as Europe.
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In is pretty safe assumption that the