Smyrna times., 1888-08-01


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THE rapid changes in the rulers Of
the German empire caused by the
death of Emperor William. then Fred
erick followed by the ascension of the
young emperor William to the throne
has held the rest of Europe in suspense
while Germany has been bowed in
grief. The "peace of Europe" has
been the one question on which so
much depended, and which such lit
tie thing might utterly destroy. The
young ruler was represented to be both
headstrong and warlike in his ten
denotes but his reign so far indicates
that he is more in favor of cultivating
the arts of peace, and to this and Bis
mark, his prime minister, is trying to
work a disarmament of the Great
Powers. The Philadelphia Ledger in
discussing this question says:
" 1t is not because the great Powers
of Europe love each other any better
now than they did a little while ago
that they are, at least, thinking of the
question of general disarmament. 1t
is not a question of international
amity, but of ways and means. The
direct maintenance of the armies costs
enormously, but the real cost of them
Is not to be estimated by the money
actually expended upon them for food
clothes, shelter, arms and ammunition
1t is the indirect cost which is so enor-
mOusly burdensOme; that which arises
from turning the young, strong, active
producers of their several countries
into mere consumers. They play al
soldier, so many millions of them, and
those of tender or advanced age, OF
those who are otherwise unfit for mill
tary service, work for and are taxed tC
maintain them. The drain is both di
rect and indirect The leak is from
the bung-hole as we'll as from the
spig9t.
Naturally as an astute a statesman
as Prince Bism arck desires that there
shall he an end of all this, and those
occupying similarly responsible higf
places near other thrones would be
glad to follow where he would lead i
they could but see their way clear tC
do it. Russia is we'll nigh bankrupt
her credit is so bad as to render it i'm.
possible for her to realize loans upon
terms not ruinous to her treasury. She
wants money for public improvements
chiefly for railroads to the Eastward
which she is constructing at great
speed and enormous expense. Sh,
wishes, too, to relieve the peasantry o
the demands she has upon them on ac
count of them manumissiOn. They ar,
poor, and their obligations to the Gov
ernment hang like weight upon then
rendering it impossible for them to any
fair degree of prosperity.
Prince Bismarck's policy is t,
Tighten the taxation of the poor-tt
provide for their old age. He has gon
already to some length in reducing
taxation. In Prussia he has abolished
the lowest grades of income tax, anC
it Is his wish to remove all taxes from
those whose incomes are less than $25t
each. His insurance bill is almost
purely paternal of socialistic measure
but it is a good one, as it provides fO
the old age or disability of the workin,
classes. In Italy, also, efforts are max
ing to secure a removal of taxes espe
cially those which bear so hard upOl
the poor. In France the army is on
of the principal sources of outlay, ren
deringl high taxes necessary, but tn
expenditures for public works unde
the Republic have been almost withOu
precedent.
What is clearly recognized by tn
rulers of Europe is that they canno
increase direct taxation. They are al
considering how they may decrease il
Those of their people who can are emf
grating in enormous numbers, aeein
from the cOnscription officer as we'll a
from the tax gatherer. The remedy j
us-disarmament. There is Onl
one difficulty about it: the disinclina
ton of some Of the powers to disarn
If Germany, Russia, Austria and Ital
could be brought to agree to it, Franc
could not, unless she were willing nov
to surrender the dream of TepOssessin
her lost provinces which she has S
fOndly INDUCED for seventeen wear:
and in the indulgence of which she ha
spent hundreds of millions for arms
ment. That she would voluntaril
disarm is not to be believed but it
possible, though not at all probable
she could be forced to do so by tn
agreement of the other great powers.
There is the rub, however, for
though Germany would rejoice to Sc
France shOrn of her strength and de
prived of her place among nation,
there is no other Power in Europe tina
would not protest against her impair
ment or destruction. The balance {
power is most pregnant with mean
ing Of any phrase in European polite.
Russia may not care just now to max
an alliance with France, but she cOul
not afford to permit France to be des
troyed, lest the time might come whe
she would need her for an ally.
France were suddenly crippled Gel
many, Austria and Italy would alway
menace Russia. 1t is France that
Russia's safeguard, and France an
Russia know it.
1t is, however, not only Russia, bu
England, who is concerned in the COZ
tinuance Of the power Of France.
the four Gr.l. Continental Power
would inevitably force England into
defensive alliance with her Th
theory Of the European correspondent
who are writing about Prince BIZ
marck's plan of disarmament is tha
Germany, Russia, Austria and Ital
will, if they can agree among then
selves TO do it, disarm, and ask Franc
to do likewise, but under the threat
the alternative of war if she Iefus,
The theory is one which cannot be su.
tained. 1t assumes a great deal
shTewdness on the part of Germany
which assumption is quite correct, bu
none at all on the part of Russi;
which is wholly incorrect. The unse
tied Balkan question. the ambition {
Russia in the East, the certain refus;
Of France, the danger to Russia an
England through the destruction
France by war, are all 50 many apps
rently conclusive reasons against th
realization Of Prince Bismarck's desire