New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-08

UREs OF A GREAT EVENT
IL HISTORY.
lBY GABLE THE TRIDuNr.l
cssyrt1nt, 1888: BY York Tpiosne
LONDON, Feb T." Eminently reassuring,"
Thoroughly pacific such are the phrases in
which portion Of the English press denote their
appreciation of Prince Bismarcl<s speech. All
the more thoughtful journals however, arc as
much impressed by his reserve essential points
a. by his outspokenness on Others. Bulgaria is
the SPOT VIII re the European ice is thinnest Prince
Bismarck clearly considers il too thin to bear his
weight He has said what he thinks is likely to
happen in every quarter OF the Continent where
danger Of hostilities Is most remote. He hardly
refers 60 Bulgaria, where the peace OF Europe Is
hourly threatened Russia is little likely to at
tack Austria in Galcia. She may at any moment
turn the heads OF her columns toward the Balkans
All depends on the caprice Of one irritable man,
whose temper is already sorely tried
The Chancellor refers TO the coming crisis on
the Eastern question, which he hopes may be post
poned for twenty years. Does he believe that
Russia will leave Bulgaria alone for twenty years
If Austria makes common cause with Bulgaria,
will Austrian resistance TO Russian aggression In
the Balkans he deemed SO far defensive as to
bring the treaty provisions into force, ana VIII
Germany take the fcld? These and many other
Bismarck's sentences.
Opinion among men generally hest Informed is
that a secret understanding with reference to
Bulgaria exists certainly between Austria and
Germany and perhaps between Austria and Russia.
] believe in the former, not in the latter. No
man has vet suggested how Russian pretensions
can he reeoncilcd with Austrian interests. Prince
Bismarck, who might have told us everything,
has this burning question taken rrfuge IN
silence This il is which makes his speech cnig-
natical Nothing could be more plausible, moth
ing more frank than what the Chancellor snys on
other vital Qnrsaions He socthss Russian sns-
ceptibilities ty repeated professions Of faith in
the good firth Of Emperor Alexander He jnsta-
fcs that menAcing MONUMENT OF Russian
TROOPS toward her western frontier He clearly
thinks tsT within her right In taking pos lion to
make ber wishes felt at the outset Of the next
Eastern crisis lie dofs not believe that Russia
means TO stasck Germany, lie sill maintains
Glra1 Germany's interest IN the Eastern question
rs secondary, but cmits 10 expfnin in what con
tingenc1es IT might become PRIMARY. He has
polite word for the rev Frv4seh President though
IN what he sayx If FIhnce eSntehn rdupus dislike
pcrces through his diplCrntie eiyility Of phrase
He tries TO make 1t elezr tfrst the publication OF
the Treaty iaFt Saturday cannos be deemed an
ultimstrIn to Russn- because the Treaty had long
before been made known TO Russia Yes; bnt TO
proclaim II TO the world is to summon Russia TO
keep tire peace and to call the world 10 witness
that il she breaks it she breaks it wantonly.
Again sad again he dweIs on Germany's desire
for friendship with Rnssia. 1t was Russia who,
in spite Of ii his Efforts forced him to elect be-
tween herself and Austria and to bind together
the two great central Empires for better or for
worse But he is none the less still eager to live
hoo
real cause Of quarrel But he warns her that
amiable as may be her feelings she forces Germany
to put every available man on guard against her.
Possibly the Russians may think this speech is in
the nature Of a lecture on good behavior II it be
it is a much needed one. No impartial observer
now believes that war threatens from any part
of the horizon save from Russia.
The speech abounds in characteristic passages.
Never has Prince Bismarck been more vigorous,
more impressive, more picturesque, and seldom so
eloquent. Never was his disdain of the common
arts Of diplomacy so marked. 1t would be diff
cult carry franlness further than to tell France
and Russia, Prince Bismarck does, that he
means to be able to put million soldiers on the
frontier Of each with n third million in reserve.
He SCOTS at the press as only so much printers
tnk-he, who both uses and studies the European
press as no statesman ever did. He tells France
to war from hatred II they did, She who hates
all her neighbors, would be at war with all He
tells RUSSIA that her hatred has been artifcially
fomented, and he hopes it will disappear and good
will to Germany revive. But If not, we do not
run after anybody" Germany he is convinced
Is stronger than any single Power But his task
is to strengthen her strength. He will undertake
no war which is not peoples war. All Germany
must approve IT, That is the genuine homage OF
The most autocratic statesman Of his time to
democracy. "As r Others he who breaks peace
will arrive at the conviction that the warlike and
exultant love OF the Fatherand is the common
possession OF the entire German Nation and that
he who attacks the German Nation will find IL
armed to a man and every man having in his
heart the firm belief God with usr"
Perhaps, after all, the echo OF that eloquent
last sentence will help much as anything to
keep the peace of Europe. Europe knows how
profoundly true il is. II anybody doubted It, he
had his answer yesterday in those wonderful
scenes inside and outside the Reichstag. The bill
which burdens Germany with the cost In blood
and gold of 700, 900 more soldiers passed without
one dissenting voice The leader Of each party
and each group supported it. No amendment
was offered no hint Of hostility heard. Even the
Socialists sat silent, More wonderful still was
Prince Bsmarck's reception in the street He
walked home on foot, all Berlin around him cheer
ing and ningng caps In air Not many more than
twenty years have passed since the Prussian Par
lament threw out every bill in which Prince Bis
marck asked for men or money, or since the mob
Of Berlin would have torn him limb from limb.
But he did not in those days trust himself to the
tender mercies Of his present admirers and he has
survived to be the central figure Of Christendom.
q. w. s.
FRENCH AND RUSSIAN COMMENT