Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-03-26
IN THE EAST.


land and Russia seems a certainty far
removed from the realms of doubt; but
who can tell when the tocsin shall be
sounded, and the cry to arms, to arms,
raised? Perhaps none; that the
tocsin shall be sounded and the cry
raised few will deny, but where are they
who are to tell of the magnitude of the
struggle, its extent and its termination? :?
England having ruled the world is hated
of the world, and they who have most
feared her most hate her So long the
directing, if not debating power Of Europe,
she finds that those whom she was wont
TO lead are loath to follow; her English
gold and silver streak gave her a su-
premacy in times gone by, so that now she
fain would keep what no longer can be
kept. Her hereditary foe is Russia her
diplomatic enemy is Germany, and she
knows that Bismarck is not Frederick,
and that Prussia now is not Silesia 1t
might almost be said of England to-day
as AnjnOny Salu OF O8Sar:
But yesterday, the word of Cesar might
Have stood against the world: now lies he there,
And none so poor to do him reverence.
Full well Russia knows that England
brooding is far from England beaten, and
will remember the warning spoken by
Major-General Sir Henry G. Rawlinson
in 1879, and which but echoed the ma
TONS sentiments, that "she must be made
to understand, while there is yet time for
her to modify her aggressive prepara-
tions, that she will not be permitted un-
opposed to establish herself in strength
upon the Afghan frontier, either at Merv,
or at Serakhs, or even at Abiverd, nor to
recommence intrigues against the British
power in India" Long before this Mr..
Gladstone must have again sent this same
warning, but it seems not to have been
needed
The Liberal government has inherited
all the troubles and complications of a
fantastic foreign and colonial policy be-
queathed bv the late Conservative gov
ernment; and national sins like human
sins 60 down even unto the third and
fourth generation, and no one life can out
live them. Mr.. Gladstone himself will
leave to posterity some sins, but many
blessings; and at last seems determined
to be as vigorous in the prose-
cution of foreign war as he
has been in his home reforms, while if he
is as successful in his new and untried
task as he has been in his past labors,
he will go down to history as one of the
greatest of the great.
In the great struggle, which from all
appearances must ensue, English valor
will meet valor and discipline she
wots not of. That the Russian army is
better officered than the English there is
but little doubt, while the field and staff
officers rank along with the Germans,
and are far superior to the English If
the war does come, all England will
flock to the standard, and every effort
will be made to again justify and glorify
Agincourt, Cressy, Waterloo and Inker-
mann. But if the prestige of these famous
fields is not upheld, where will be the
greatness of Britain? VIII it wane as has
the greatness of other nations waned in
olden times when new stars arose
Vague are the rumors which call such
ouaStiOnS forth and yap1e mist he tho
answers returned to them. The questions
are conjectures, the answers are specula-
tions; and the life of nations, like the life
of man, is a medley composed of many
chances, many failures, many hopes and
longings, some few favors, some little,
fieeting fortune, all vending their way to
and ending in certain death. 1t is not an
inviting picture, but it is true one.