Omaha daily bee., 1890-08-23
OTHER - lands THAN OURS.

iority had been solidly tory 1t is doubtful If
it would have withdrawn any, certainly
it would not have withdrawnall, of its prin-
cipal measures. The government has been
weakened also by repeated evidences that it
was not in touch with the drift of public
opinion Neither the tithes bill nor the COM
pensatons of pubicans bill was a popular
measure, The first had few warm friends
among the great body of dissentcrs and
Roman Catholics; the second had against it
the whole body of temperance advocates in
the country Nor has there been entire
agreement among unionists as to whethcrthe
Balfour land bill was the best measure for
the relief of ireland and the settlement of
the Irish question. There have not been
lacking indications that the support this
measure has received from unionsts has been,
to quite considerable extent, perfunctory.
The bye elections have shown that the coun-
try favors broader and more statesmanlike
policy in dealing with this question, and un-
doubtedly among many of the supporters of
the union in parliament the same has been
true.
~.
The meeting of the emperors, William and
AlcXander,is the event of the greatest present
interest to the statesmen of Europe, and
though there is notable absence of public
conjecture as to what the result may be, we
may be sure there is an endless amount Of it
privately INDUCED. One thing appears GER
tain, namely, that both the French and Rus
sian governments are on the alert in regard
to any proposals which Germany may make
at the present meeting. 1t is significant
fact that though the time for taking hls an
nual leave has arrived, Baron Won MOhren-
helm, the Russian ambassador at Paris, has
been ordered to remain at his post that he
may be in constant communication with NJ.
RibOt, the French minister of foreign affairs,
in regard to whatever passes between the
Emperor William and the car. On the
other hand, it may be thoroughly relied upon
that when any proposals are made affecting
the general policy of Europe Chancellor
Caprivi will find in NJ. de Giers his superior
in experience and his equal III knowledge
and ability. Should no agreement looking
toward disarmament be arrived at, the
general feeling is that the vast military
establishments of Europe cannot be kept
much longer on a war footing without bring
ing on a war; which will probably be vide
spread in effect and surprising in its ulti-
mate consequences. When the possibility of
these consequences is seriously considered it
is little wonder that men stand appalled, in
view Of the fact that a rife discharged any
of these days on the Danube or on the Rhine
may lead to a revolution in Erance and to
the advance ola Russian army into the heart
| of the indian empire.
W.
What the foreign policy of Spain will be
under the new regime is prOblematic and
| excites some anxiety in France VIII there
| be a leaning toward Germany and the triple
| alliance' VIII the cordial relations that have
| long existed between France and Spain re-
| main unaltcred! Cano vas hastens to declare
| that he will do nothing whatever to disturb
| the existing relations between Spain and
| other European powers. The strict neutrality
| of the last few years will be maintained en-
! tangling alliances will be avoided, and the
| preudices of all countries respeo ted. This
| does very well as declaration of principles,
| but the queen regent is a Hap5burg, the
! prime minister is an extreme royaist, and
! popular apprehension is not quieted. AS to
| the Carlists, strong only in the Basque
| provinces, they feel slightly encouraged by
the recent changes, but as all parties are
| opposed to them there is no prospect
at present that they will ever return
| to power. The republicans, who are
|
| tenn OF government, no matter by what means,
| show disposition to revolt. 1t is Just at
| present impossible to see very far into the
future of politics in Spain where the ele-
mcnts of uncertainty are even more numerous
than in France. There are the Carlists, the
ultra royalists, the constitutional royalists,
who have the majority, but cannot agree
| among themselves, the moderate republicans,
who have CASTELAR, as their leader, the radical
| republicans. who follow Gorilla, the socialists
of various sects, aud the generals, who al
| ways have to be accounted with. Spain is
| par excellence the country of pronuncia-
| mentos and of precedents From such a com
pound, where the ingredients mix but refuse
| to blend, what can be expected! The retire
ment Of the liberals from power may prove
! an advantage in the end by proving that the
ultra r0yali5ts cannot command a majority il
the country While waiting their restora
ton to power the moderate royalists seem in
clined to maintain an eXpedient power, simply
leaving their opponents face to face with the
difficulties of their position.
W.
| 1t is an illustration of their faith in grand
| schemes upon paper that the Frcnch people
undaunted by their immense losses a
| Panama, have seized with enthusiasm upol
| the proposition to build railroad across
Sahara and are ready to invest their earnings
in a scheme which is chimerical, to say the
least. A dispatch from Paris states that NJ
less than three companies already have beer
formed and as all these companies have thei
partisans in the chambers and are seriously
embarrassing the cabinet the government it
self may undertake the hazardous scheme
which is more likely to lead to bankruptc,
| than success. 5
1t is not surprising that France want
a railroad across Sahara. On the north
holds Algeria. On the south it has mad
remarkable progress in absorbing the
provinces in the valley of the Niger. Four
fifths Of that great river are already con
trolled by France, the other fifth, neal
its mouth, being in the possession o
England. Virtually it controls its nayiga
ton and one after the other has absorbed
the tier of small provinces stretching
from Senegambia north of the Kong mount
aims, well nigh TO Lake Tchad. 1t is vas
region, fertile in soil and rich in resources
and its people are well disposed towards tn
French. A railroad across the desert froI
Algeria to the great upper bend of the Nige