St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-07-08
BUFFER BISMARCK.
His Provoking Tactics Con-
tinue to Keep Europe in
q Turmoil.
Parnell's Denial of the Times
Accusations Not Generally
Accepted.
Servia'S Ruler Has Demon
strated That He Is a
Royal Roue.
Bloody Balfour May Resign
A Curious Problem in
Court Etiquette.
Snecial Cable to the Globe.


are compelled by parliamentary neces-
sites to give to the world from time to
time some statement of policy. From
the speeches in which Count KalnOky
and NJ. Tisza reply to interpretations,
from similar speeches by Signor Crispi
and by English ministers, and from the
occasional speeches or articles of Prince
Bismarck, the world has for many
months gathered the only trustworthy
information about the relations of the
various great powers. The gist of the
utteranceS of these official sources this
week is that the causes of anxiety which
existed last winter and for some time
previously have not been removed. The
danger lies in the general relations of
the powers, not i'll particular circum-
stances, and the diScord is rather be-
tween nations than between cabinets.
AT present, however, the cabinets are
less uneasy than they were. The un-
certainty may possibly be removed, but
it is quite possible also that it may last
for years, during which time any power
that cares to survive
MUST REMAIN ALERT AND READY.
Meanwhile the pecuniary demands of
the powers for the purpose of further
permanent military preparations have
been noted with scarcely murmur of
dissent. These pecuniary strains upon
the resources of the various nations, if
continued much longer, can result only
in general bankruptcy or life and
death struggle between them. The re-
port that Emperor William at his COM
ing meeting with the cZar will propose
that the powers eXtricate themselves
from their difficulty by fixing 10y conven-
ton a limit to their respective arma-
ments, has had the effect of creating
suspicion which is leading to fresh ac-
tivity. The proposal is not new, and the
difficulties in the way of its adoption are
obvious. The institute of international
law, at its meeting at Heidelberg last
September, was the first to make such
proposal, and coming from such body
the suggestion at that time created no
such suspicion as the report now does
that Emperor William intends to make
such a proposition. On the contrary it
was then received with marked favor
by the majority of European statesmen.
If Emperor William should make such
a proposal to the czar there is little
doubt that in
THE PRESENT TEMPER OF EUROPE,
the powers will refuse to consent to a
partial and proportional disarmament.
In well-informed circles the report is
not credited, the general belief being
that Emperor William is SO thoroughly
imbued with BiSmarck'S ideas that if
such proposition were made to him he
would refuse even to consider it. The
Iron Chancellor unquestionably likes
to continue posing before Europe as the
''weaponed man," who. at moments
notice, could make his country hosts
and those of its allies swoop down upon
any WOuld-be diSturber OF the peace.
He also likes to remain the dictator of
the home politics of Germany by al
ways holding the Specter of possible
warlike contingency before the eyes of
his countrymen.
Such measures as were taken in re-
gard to Alsace-LOrraine are only
temporary and meant to produce that
effect. So far Prince Bismarck may be
right. But the wisdom of his occasional
provoking tactics is doubted. At all
events, although these tactics are caIcu-
lated to intimidate Frenchmen into
quiet behavior, the result in general is
the continuance of
MUCH BITTERNTSS OF FEELING.
The report that Prince Bismarck in
tends to increase the stringency of his
passport regulations has increased the
bitterness of feeling of Frenchmen
toward Germany, and will have the eff
feet, as have all the other efforts of the
German chancellor, to belittle France
in the eyes of the world and of stimu-
lating the rank and file of the French
army to renewed efforts to make them
the arts of war. Officers and privates
who recently complained of excessive
drill and other military exercises seem
now anxious to spend their whole time
in making themselves thorough soldiers.
In fact, BiSmarck's recent measures
against France have done more towards
making soldiers of these men than could
have fifty Boulangers.
A well-known diplomat recently said
that Prince Bismarck was of the opin-
ion that the French are not able single
handed to risk war; that their army is
not sufficiently organized, and that the
people in general do not desire it. The
latter condition is probably true; the
first will have to be proven, and the
second is undoubtedly grave mistake,
as the German chancellor will find to
his cost if he continues
TO GOAD THE FRENCH PEOPLE.
Very few soldiers are to be met with
in Paris; but a great many regiments
are masSed round the capital ready to
come down upon it in case of need. The
French infantry regiments may not be
as tidy in appearance as German regi-
ments, but they are undoubtedly as well
drilled, the majority of them being eX-
cellent marksmen, while the remainder
are becoming more efficient, as target
practice is one of their daily duties. In
artillery the French are, no doubt,
ahead of most nations. Upon the
whole. if Prince Bismarck goads France
into war he will find that Germany
has a better disciplined army to cope
with than he imagined.
HIyu Il. ID ID non