The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-01-03
A Phase Of European Politics.

AS the year 1889 draws TO its close
the political situation In ElTOps shows
no sign or suts-antisl improvement.
The disease from which the Kingdom
of ItGiy suffers is not mere transient
indusnZa, bat a 6esp-seated oiiloJiOn
OF most dangerous tendency. To Teck>
less financial management IL assigned
the FIRST cause of Italy's present cOndl>
tiOn but the real mischief lies IN the
ambi-ioUs policy developed by The IJsi-
ian Gov-TDmsut upon entering into the
Three Power Alliance with Germany
and Austria Hungary n maintain the
political balaBce of Europe. In en-
deavoriDg to keep pace with her wealth
ieT and more powerful allies In military
preparations for prospective war with
Russia and France. Italy has fatally
OveTstrGined her financial resources.
Before the Italian Government was
lured into the ami itious policy there was
- considerable surplus in the Ma ional
Treasury. Bat since then the Finan-
cial Minister has been compelled 10
wTrstle " n constantly rising deficit.
which in The present year amounts TO
s0mething between so 900, 600 aud
/ S25. 0O0, 600. Such a situation will
/ scarcely be comprehended in country
/ taius = surplus of double that amount.
AS is not unusual in such cases. the
| politicians who egged the Italian Gov
! srnmeut into the alliance with Ger
/ many and Austria, and TejOiced over
\ the proud position which their country
thus assumed in the affairs of Europe,
! are unwilling 10 accept the financial
/ responsibilities Gntailed BY the alliance.
/ The Deputies in the Italian Chamber
/ contemplate In alarm the steadily ris-
/ ing treasury deacit, and hesitate 70 i'm
pose fresh burdens on The backs of a
/ poor and wel!-Ligh exhausted people.
The curse of the situation is that the
| Italian Government must maintain its
enormous military expenditures or lose
what has already been gained in the
\ struggle to elevate italy 10 the rank
! of = drst-class Power. With the new
/ inventions in the engineTy Of war, in
| creasing demands are made by the mis-
/ itaTy establishments OF Europe upon
the government fsc, and fresh sacrifi-
ees must be made every year to MulCch.
| AS Germany and Austria increase
their military preparations their ally of
Italy must maintain their pace OF fall
| back into the position of second CT
third rate Power, incapable of exeIcis-
| ing any influence in the politics of
! Europe.
In the meantime, while The financial
| affairs of Italy are Fastening 10 crisis,
Russia patiently pursuss her 8alting
policy, confident that when ripe the
fruit of her cunning diplomacy will
drop into her lap. l. is pretty evident,
| too, that Russia has impressed The wis
dom OF this Fabian policy upon the
statesmen OF France. who see in ii fu-
E.r-.
does not affOTd FOR settling accounts
with both Germany and italy. II is
| calculated that Russia's military pre-
paraJious will no. have been fully com
pleted until 1892 and that until then
the peace Of Europe will be to!erably
secure. But III the interval what ia u
! become of the Gsymantic-AusJIian-
Italian alliance Before that time the
! enormous expenditures eutailsd hy the
I alliance npOD Italy VIII have Brought
on crisis, and Austria Hungary will
! have become more dee ply involved ia
| financial embarrassment. as we'll as in
! conf cts Of races which threaten the
Z Empire with disme mbe-ment.
For -hs alliance Of Three Powers the
/ only aileTna'iyr seems 10 lie ia pTOmp.
military action, or in bringing about a
I general disarmament in Europe. I. is
impossible FOR I'aly IS we'll rs Austria
TO much longer endure the luaucisl
! strain OF military preparation. The
people OF b. ia countries are growing
reslive under heir heavy burdens, aud
, viii hot submit to fresh txactinns ex-
. cept in case OF actual war. A
dec sive cor fiict would be less fearful
than he anxiety and The vase expeDdi
I tures CaUss Il by the present situation.
( Uuabie much lOLgeT TO depend on heI
exhausted allies, Germany will De COM
| PEELED to seek new combinations aud
7 Russia may march to COust autinopls by
the Route through Vienna.
The pregnant question with the
Three Powers now is whe' her they shall
GghJ when the spring OF 1890 shall open
OF wait until the common enemy shall
have completed his preparations, ard
until the alliance shall have becoms
weakened by financial exhaustion and
political disseDsIOns in Austria and il
I,aiY.-Phila. Record.