The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-12


time after that saw in Russia consider.
able movement OF troops in consequence
of the installation OF the Czarewitch as
lIetman Of the Don Cossacks ut Nowo
Ischcrkassk. The difference was great.
Though not more than half Of $4,000 men
were handled in the Russian operation,
yet civil traffic was interrupted or demon
allied for several days on the lines which
were brought into requisition.
''Such facts as these could not long es-
cape the attention OF the Russian anthori-
ties. In May last Prince Wittgcnstein,
Acknowledgement OF the army Of the eau
cilsus, during voyage on board the steam
or from Batoum TO Sebastopol, said to me:
We are weak only on the side OF Ger
many. Holudon is forgotten. More than
century of continued peace and frequent
alliance with our immediate western
neighbors has led us to ignore human
nature. Ever since the French war Of
1901 and the consolidation OF Germany,
that empire has been periccting It's means
OF attack upon Poland gradually and
quietly, il is true, but no less effectively.
In the meantime, we Russians have been
busy with Turkish wars and hsiatic en-
terpiiscs, and have taken no thought OF
strategical developments ON our western
frontier. Our gilrrisons in Poland are now
no stronger than they were when the holy
alliance was the great political fact Of Eu-
rope, and there was no more danger of an
invasion Of Russian Poland by Germany
or Austria, or both, than by the
United States. But tho situation has
changed. The holy alliance has given
place 10 u state NJ strained relations. Ger
many aud Austria are now commercially
hostile 10 Russia. Russia is cnacting pro-
tectivc tariffs, which affect the mnnufact-
uring and mercantile interests Of those
empires. Commercial hostility cannot
long preccdc clash Of arms. The manu-
lecturers and the traders are the ruling
elements in Germany and Austria. They
mean 10 force Russia 10 rcccde from the
protective system. They think that with
AN Anstro-German garrison in Warsaw
and the Russians pushed back to the east
bank of the Nistula, they would have n
valid consideration TO trade on in nego-
tating new commercial treaty with Rus
sia, holding at their pleasure a material
guarantee That Is the true translation Of
the rhodomontado you see from day TO
day in the press Of Berlin and Vienna.
Russia does not want war on her western
frontier; she has nothing 90 gain by II.
But she ought 10 ho safe there. Russia
has made up her mind Ia protect her i'm
tcriial industries That is fixed fact. Ii
war comes il will come In the shape Of an
attack 10y Germany aud Austria abetted
by England upon Russian Poland, with
the sole view OF acquiring that territory, TO
hold IL as n material basis upon which 10
Al tul an nd al
treaty, II not an actual indemnity. And
when they do attack Poland they will
swoop upon Il with the snddenncss Of
lightning out Of clear skyl We cannot
II We would he unmindful of the German
preparations on our Polish border. The
natural political enemy Of Germany il
France. Why then, should Germany
almost dcnudo her Rhenish strongholds
In orler to keep full the gnrisons of east
Prussia, poscn and Silcsia3 There can be
no reason for il except that she regards
Russia ~ commercial enemy and wishes
Ia be- in readiness to strike her a stunning
blow. Such n state Of affairs cannot long
continue. Russia cannot longer ignore
the German demonstrations ut konigs-
berg, Thorn, PoScn and Brcslau, or the
Austrian preparations ut Krakow and
lcmbcrg. You will see before long--pcr-
haps On your journey by way Of Warsaw
Ia America the force Of what say. |
cannot 20 into military particulars
"Wittgcnstcin expressed the average
sentiment of the Real Russian school.
aftcrward heard the same facts stated in
other phrase by Salon, Pobcdcnoir and
Kaikoff himself. Germany and AustiaT
regard the Russian protective tariff rs an
act 1T hostility. and they are watching an
opportunity 10 get the bear by the throat
IN order tu wiring from him q treaty that
would p,siop the frcc trade Of the good
old times. As 10 matter II fact, the Rus.
slams have bccn dilatury in their prepare
tons ior defense. Ii was notorious in
Russian cirlcs aud ! heard II In their
clubs last April, that Germany and Aus.
tria hal seven nnny corps four German
and three Ausirian-dmwn up In n great
an from konigsberg ON the north 10 Lem
berry ON the anfth, nowhere morc than a
hundred miles irom the frontier. These
seven army corps were not lees than go
600 strong. They were prNctically on q
war footing. AMI could bc launched
upon Poland Mt any one or mow ol
half dozen points, by the tick Of tclc-
graph instrument There was nothing %
Oppose them cNccpi.ihc ordinary gafrisons
ol Nolhynia the Polish towns aud wilma,
embracing Time army corI's, not capable
Of putting moW than 100 900 men alicld, u
~ many. Meanwhile the prcss Of Vienna
and Berlin kept up insiladc oi abuse, the
object ui which was a. make the western
world believe that Russia was the aggrcssor
and that their own ornaments were de.
signed simply 10 keep the peace. This
WIS all humbug No Russian thought 81
invading cirrmany ~ Austria. The whole
thought OF the Russians WIS 10 Keep out
German aud Austrian manufactures by a
high tariff In order Ia develop their own
industries The whole situation, stripped
1T H. diplomatic ialschoOd. u simply Tree
trade at the point Of the bayouct
mo wonder the Russians have been rc.
iniurring their irunticr. Hut IL u very
doubtful whether oven with the most COM.
plc,c preparation her forces arc capable Of,
Russia could hold Poland against an
AustrO- German attack. IL would be- use.
les, " concluded Mr.. Buell., ito attcmp, Ia
give Americans an adequate idea Of the
/ Nupcndous power, the lighining.likt
mobility aud ahoyc ~ the in,inciblc self
/ confidence Of the German army at that
time. II wal occuu II will be character
/ wed by mpidily u operation which will
make oven The Invasion Of France Ia 1870
rad like ancient history
| - sa-=