Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-01
GERMANY,s

TIE MMER's latest dispatches indicate
that tho complications in Eastern Europe
look again more warlike. England, Aus
tria and Italy seem disposed to talk very
plainly in opposition to Russia's claims
while the attitude OF Germany il not 60
plainly defined. Az in the past Bismarck
has controlled the destinies OF that Empire
so at the present is he it's ruling power.
There has been no time within the last
twenty-five years at which Bismarck could
not have plunged Europe into war. Upon
this ID man it has depended whether mill
lions OF honest, hard-working peasants.
who seldom heard hisname spoken, should
live their uneventful lives until death led
them to their last resting place, or should
give up theinp working and dancing and
marrying to Shouider the needle-gun and
stake their blood against som coveted
foreign soil.
just now, more plainly than ever, can
be seen the finger of the German Chancellor
touching the electric button" whose pres
sure would in q moment destroy the peace
of Europe. This is the kind OF politics that
Bismarck enjoys. It is eighteen century
politics-the sort for which he is peculiarly
fitted. He is not at home in the manage
ment of q Parliament. The badgering OF
debate vexes him. When he sees what
seems TO him the right thing to do, he
wishes to do it without having to give an
account OF his actions to a body which he
believes to be untitled, in the nature OF
things, to understand them.
The present situation, therefore, with all
the powers on hair triggers-as it we're
opens an inviting fold for the old chancel-
lor's peculiar talents. The Reichstag
which opened two or three days ago, can
hamper him in the internal affairs of the
empire but it cannot NEEDLE with his diplo-
macy. There is where Bismarck has the
best OF it. The Reichstag can refuse to in
crease the peace establishment OF the army
or to vote the military estimates for an
other seven years, but it cannot prevent a
war which would involve the necessity OF
any budget the government might
propose. In his foreign policy Bismarck
can expect no opposition from any quar-
ter. The Emperor is in his dotage and
Moltke in little better condition. OF the
great triumvirate that humbled France
and wrested Alsace andLorraine from that
power, Bismarck alone has a clear eye and
hand. At the present moment his
power has reached it's highest point.
As the chancellor knows that he will
never be in better condition for action than
he is now, and will soon be in worse, it is
that he should wish to clinch his
before weakness grows upon him.
France is still strong and hungry for the
lost Alsace and Lorraine, Russia is grasp
ing and dangerous neighbor, and German
unity is not as sale as it may be. Hence
the news that Germany wishes to precipi.
tate the Eastern crisis is not improbable.
The plans for a Russian campaign are all
complete in the German general staff, and,
OF course, the plans for an invasion of
France lave been the daily study OF a gen.
OF German officers.
If these two unquiet neighbors can be dis
at once Bismarck a feel that his
work has been symmetrically ended. The
alliance, therefore, of Austria, Germany,
Italy and England against Russia and
France is likely TO be an accomplished fact
before long, if it is not. already. It needs
only the consent Of Germany. and Bis
is warned by cd age that if he
wishes to see the game t%hroughand the real
OF his hopes he must speedily give
that consent. Should it be withheld it may
be set down as a fact that the peace OF
is not endangered by the present
complications.