Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-05-07
What Does Bismarck think
!; ,a.t nj At4

Tbs eyes OF Russians and Enghshmen
are fixed not more intently on Afs1nis-
tan thar on Berlin, where the "rbiter
who struck up their crossed swords III
1873 now remains an inscrutable, i'm
passive spectator of their warlike prep
arations. All the rumors protesting to
divulge" BIsMARox's predictions and
designs have thus been conflicting and
enthusiastically. But his silence is sig
niGcant ; his iuaexible adherence at
this stage of the Anglo Russian contro-
versy to an impartial attitude is itself
an indication of his wishes, when con
strued in connection with the object of
his life and with the vital interests Of
the empire he has founded.
The strategic and geographical posi-
ton of the German empire is far from
perfect, and its economical situation is
by no means satisfactory. Its western
boundary. calls loudly for improve
ments which BISMARCK COUNTED upon
securing when he imposed on France a
seemingly unattainable indemnity, and
its frontier is also weak upon the east,
precisely where wall is most needed
against the glacier-like pressure of the
Cars huge dominioua. For the mo-
ment, the league with Austria makes
central Europe invulnerable; but let
the HApsBuRa be once re-occupied
with the repression of intestine feuds
between it's Slav, Teutonic, and Hun
garian subjects, and the fabric reared
by BISMARCK might be crushed under
the impact.of Muscovite ambition and
the French hunger for. refuge. There
are two obvious methods of lessening
the magnitude or imminence of this
peril, and it is inconceivablc that eth
er should be overlooked.
The fighting power Of Germany must
be positively developed, or it must be
relatively aggrandized by encouraging
her dangerous neighbors to squander
their own military resources in distant
wars. The necessity of recurring to
the latter expedient becomes more ur-
gent with every year, as the stupendous
load already placed upon the German
empire by its military establishment
grows less tolerable. 1t is now some
fourteen years since the Chancellor
laid this burden on the shoulders Of its
countrymen, yet the hour Of relaxation
is as far off as ever, unless the serious
disablement OF their enemies and rival,
shall permit Germans also to sheathe
the sword. They cannot sustain for
another decade the present state OF
tension, for the empire will run the risk
OF pcrshlng from economical marasmus.
We shonld not forget how poor are
these Germans who are forced to forge
and keep in !lawless efficiency the most
imposing Of European armamcnts.--
Their commerce is tentative their
manufactures are backward as compar
ed with the industries of their neigh.
bors on the west their land is mort
gagged to an extent unparalleled II
Russia or even IN Spain, which other
wise might compete for the dlsrepute
Of being the poorest country IN Europe
Germans, therefore, cannot bear
much longer the exhaustive strain t."
while the Continent has been subject,
cd since the event of 1870 They must
fight themselves or set the pow ers OF
which they feel most dread to sighting
and one or both these essential meas
ures Of relief must be adopted while the
Chancellor (already 70 years old) Is
still living to conduct them. Now, OF
all possible contingencies none is bet
ter adapted than a war between Russia
and Great Britain to promote the rel
alive and ultimate welfare Of the Ger
man empire to confer on it benefits
without the cost of war, and to leave it
optional with BISMARCK to cut down
the German armament to the dismished
scale Of his crippled northern neIghbor
or to use that weapon for long foiIed
bnt eagerly desired readjustment of
European boundaries For contest
between Russia, with its vast nursery
of soldiers, and England, with its stint
less store Of guineas, would be in al!
likelihood long; and thus, whatever
were its issue, it would leave both com
batants emasculated, In such plight
the Car could not prevent Germany
from selling the left bank of the Wis
tula, nor could England any longer
Illustrate the scheme of Austrian expan-
sion in the Balkan peninsula.
We can see. then, why it is that,
though the lifting ola finger in Berlin
would arrest the Russian armies in
their swoop upon Herat, that finger is