Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-21
PEACE OF EUROPE.
AN ABSORBING TOPIC WITH Ihooe
vERsEp IN ITS AFFAIRS.
The wariike Tendencies Of the Young
Emperor FILLED with Enthusiasm
TO Shift for Himself.
ny telegraph 70 the Dispatch,

following special from London dated MnIc1l
goth: Is the peace Of Europe TO be in ,,,
by the resignation of Bismarck In TUE y
now an absorbing question. those vels;H
in European affairs have foreseen q. lno,,.
table this step. but it's effect il diherenlss
matter. Tho Iron Chancellor held the VIII
Of the grandfather of Emperor william, III
the hollow Of his hand, With nm DIS
marck's word was law. whether p IN
der the hostile influence OF ne En-
press and her party invalid emperor
Frederick would have changed Inls
cannot DO conjectured. but 10 Wa
the gossip of Europe that the Plessno
young Emperor before his acees I ~
had az his intimates a clique beaded py
Count Won Waldersee. known 10 be mimi
cal 20 Bismarck and which was regeaITtueu as
warlike party. In this feeling all Of Europe
nervously shares. TO still this feeIlng y
required repeated pacific utterances on tne
part of the young Emperor and the appa-
rent continuance of Bismarck IN MS posl-
ton. But the most significant inlng wa
the elevation of Count Won NaiGeIsce ~
big positionin the army and one ciose 10 tuS
Emperor. The continued pacific tone OF
the new ruler finally Gained Europe at
least 20 the belief that war was not I'M
mcdiately inevitable, but az the same tIiie
both Germany and France went on Mltn
the perfection of their arnament anu tne
increase of their armies, and While taking
ueace and duietness the young Emperor
showed his thoroughly warllke tendencies
by his intense interest in his immense
armies and personal participation IN tneir
manmuvres. But from time to time
several things have leaked out which III
dicate that there would no doubt nave
been a rupture long before between EIl-
peror William and Bismarck but for Two
conditions. First, the Chancellor regarded
himself and was regarded as the creator OF
the empire: second, the burden OF the
debt of gratitude of the Hohenzolern
family to Bismarck rested heavy on the
younger and he could not afford an issue
with tho Chancellor too soon, as 1t might
place him in an unpleasant position
before his subjects. In the mean time
Young William, filed with exalted
ambitions, determined 10 occupy the
position Of q central figure IN Ger
many. There has been much in his &C
tons to make surely that he would be the
second Frederick the Great. Having thls
figure presented before his ambitious eye
be is filed with enthusiasm to work good
Us well as great things. and before HIM iS
unfolded field of the richest, rarest, ana
most abundant opportunities in the condi-
ton of oppressed labor. Whether this last
move has met the bitterest opposition of
Bismarck and led TO his resignation
cannot be told Whether this action
is clearly and purely ont OF bis own
cratic fancy or not it Is difficult to say.
Certain it is no ruler ever took as bold
step with more apparent thOughtlessness.
IL IS no wonder that the Iron Chancellor
shook the dust of the court from ms
sandals. and followed by his son sulks with
many dire predictions in his camp, while
the rest Of royal Europe stands
aghast at the sight Of tins rash
young man playing with fire brands. For
in the interference with labor can he seen
nothing else than the encouragement OF
social disturbances involving the worst re-
suits. With Socialism rampant, with An
archy, with Nihilism in the very CIR no
breaths, would be the incarnation IN the
position of everything entagOnistic to such
sentiments-a stand 10 offer them ms
knee by which to mount TO his throat.
This is what the employing classes
sec in his dangerous move. This IS
what Bismarck sees. As for the labor
class, they will surely take advantage OF
his move, but IL will be TO the empires
cost. Meanwhile, with Bismarck out, the
peace Of Europe is in the hands OF this
rash young ruler, with France and Ger
many each like dogs separated only by
frail barrier regarding each other with
sullen ewes, and while augmentlng gradu-
ally their already enormous armies, and with
them their burden Of taxation until each
army now represents quite 100000 men.
while the financial burden is fast approach
ING the limit of ability Of even these frugal
people to bear upunder. The question IS:
Will these immense ornaments he peace
fully discontinued or will war ensue?
Which will succeed and what will be tho
effect on the map of Europe To the first
question emphatically yes. There Will be
war and the question is. Who will win
France or Germany? The casual obser-
yer is liable to promptly say Germany. he
not too sure of this. What the French
soldiers did in Europe under Napoleon the
Great indicates what their rank and file
were. There is nothing in their defeat IN
1870 to cast one shadow upon their
glorious courage. BE assured IL was
the bad generalship and corruption that
had to do with the French defeat.
High explosive. smokeless powder, maya
zine Guns. military railways, electricity,
all make war "a different thing now. IL Is
safe to predict a future war, for war there
will be. IL will be short and unsangulnary.
What kaleidoscope changes Ut VIII make
on the map Of Europe IS beyond the ken
of man. England Jealous of Russias en-
croachmentsin the past; Russia jealous OF
Austria. Jealous of the power of Ger
many: England worried at certain
uneaeiness in India. whose sleepy peO-
ule are held subject by bribery and "a
mere handful of troops. but who are be-
inc educated TO the fact. There - IN this
situation only food for contemplation and
conjecture. There are squalls ahead.
there are clouds upon the horizon whose
shadow IS now spreading over Europe like
hrs. nall