Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-04-30
THE APPROACHING WAR.


over England and Russia, and it seems
that but few days can pass before they
burst forth in all their fury, and as they
burst, they viii doubtless spread and in
their deluge cover many countries. If
the impending war shall so spread as to
involve most of Europe, and such now
seems the inevitable result, it is most
probable that Europe is about to be en-
tirely changed in her political geog-
raphy. The quiet and reticence Of
Bismarck at time when the
world is in apprehension and alarm,
are more ominous than his active intrigue
would be in so critical case as the pres
ent one. TIL at he will act when favor
able opportunity presents itself for ag-
grandizing Germany or for making her
more powerful in the councils of Europe,
where she already dominates, than she
his diplomacy of the past is no guide to
what his future course will be. But sure
it is that Bismarck knows full we'll all of
Russia's designs, if he has not formed
them. 1t can scarcely be that with
France Germany has any intention
of forming permanent alliance,
for either nation is most mistrustful of
the other, and fifteen years cannot
wipe out the memory of Sedan, the hui
initiation of Paris occupied by Prussians
and the payment of four millards of
francs. While Alsace and Lorraine are
ruled by Germany, and the people of
these two provinces compelled to swear
an allegiance to Germany, or quit their
homes and find in France a refuge, or
wander in foreign lands, and many have
preferred to leave their homes and the
associations of their childhood in prefer
ence to giving willing allegiance to
her whom they hate, there can
be no prospect for an alliance. There
also stands in the way of any cordial un-
derstanding between France and Ger
many, the mourning-draped statue of
Strasburg in the Place de la Concorde !;
and France, while she loves not England,
hates Germany with hatred that would
have adorned Dante's Inferno, hatred
that blood and the abasement of Ger
many alone can quench. If, then, there
IS no danger of a coalition against Eng
land from this quarter, there is not likely
to be any between France and Russia,
as the interests of Germany and Russia
are in rivalry, and Germany will
not care to be fanked on either
side of those who are unfriendly to Der.
If England and Russia cross lances, and
while engaged in trial of strength and
skill, France desires to balance accounts
with England for England's action in
Egypt and her conduct in the Suez Canal
affair, she will doubtless find in Austria
her fastest friend, but to her Austrian
alliance she will find an antidote in Italy.
for to-day Italy is a power and not merely
place, and right well does she remem-
ber Tunis and Tripoli, and the
outrages committed upon italian work
men in French towns some two years
ago. France also has as a diversion,
and which must help to hamper her, her
quarrel with China Russia also will
have need to watch the western frontiers
OF China, and the wild and wandering
hordes who inhabit Central Asia. 1t seems
that in the approaching war, England is
N NO oil olf 4
suicidal for Holland and the Scandinavian
countries to do anything but form against
Germany, for no doubt Germany is
against England. Russia, while striking
at England through India, will care
fully watch for an opportunity and
an excuse to seize Constantinople
and make of the Black Sea a Russian
lake, and so Turkey will find not only her
interest, but her very existence, in Eng
lands triumph, and must give to her her
alliance. There is little if any doubt but |
that all Afghanistan will go to England's
standard, as Russia will, if victorious.
make of the Afghans subjects and ami
hilate their nation.
If Russia has her Nihilism, England
has her Ireland; and Russian intrigue in
India is as liable to be as successful as
British intrigue in Turkestan and the
Russian provinces of the East, and India
to mutiny, and be to England hinderance
and not help.
1t is hard to conjecture what alliances
will be made if war comes, and harder
still to say what will be their results. If
Russia triumphs, England is liable to lose
her prestige and half her empire; while
If England triumphs, Russia will be
beaten but not broken, and will abide
her time but not abandon her object,
which is to neutralize England in Europe
through India in the East.
The ultimatum which the Gar has
sent to Great Britain that the latter shall
accept Russia's proposed boundary line
between Turkestan and Afghanistan or
Russia will proceed to occupy Herat,
clearly shows that she has fully matured
all her plans for peace or for war, as
England may determine. England's
only answer now should be that she
will not accept Russia's proposed bound I
ary line, and that Russia will not be per-
mitOed to occupy Herat and must sur
render up Penjdeh. The reply that will
be sent to this ultimatum is what all are (
anxiously waiting to know.
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The nosition of Turkey shonld urar s