The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-20
AN EMPRESS AND THE ARTISTS.

The Empress Dowager of Germany has
gone to Paris to try to persuade the French
painters to exhibit at the coming German
exposition. She is known to be patron of
art and 10 have a large acquaintance among
the leading artists OF the day. She is more
over lady of winning manners ana wide
popularity among the best.people of Europe.
The Emperor could not have sent a better
ambassador to the artists of France to in
duce them to forego their intended boycott
Of his exposition. If any one could succeed
she will.
But the fact that it was necessary to send
her on such an errand should admonish the
Emperor William that there is something in
the wcrld of to-day that is greater than
soldiers and more potent than big guns. and
that is the power of intellect aud genius
Mere victories in the field do not subordinate
the nation that is supreme in art and letters
to n nation that is inferior in these respects.
though more successful in war. The Goths
oyerran Italy, but Succumbed to the higher
civilization of the yanquished and SO now
the Germans, who trampled France under
foot in 1870. have been ever since chatting at
the silent boycott which French learning
and Wit and artistic skill have enforced
against them. Berlin is one of the dullest
places in Europe Its society, as VasiIi
paints it, probably with perfect accuracy, is
dull Its theaters are places to go to sleep
at Il has little literature that the world
reads. 1t has not even much music or
painting. Except in some branches of
science, the German mind seems to have
been lulled to slumber by the neVer-ending
sound Of military bands.
II the coming exposition exhibits no works
OF art except the products of German studios
people will criticize il. Whatever the French
cannot do, they can certainly paint the best
canvasses which are produced IN our time
a contrast between German exhibition at
Berlin and the coming salon at Paris would
not be soothing to German pride. Hence
the embassy of the Empress. The French
painters have it in their power to make the
German fair a success, and to lay the Gov
eminent Of the young Emperor under an
obligation which he would not be likely to
forget
Still, there are reasons why the Empress
may meet with firm though polite refusal
Germany ignored the Eiffel Exposition at
Paris. True. the act was the deed of Bis
marck, and Bismarck is no more, p officially.
But he spoke for Germany, and Germany
| did not protest. Then, again, Alsace and
Lorraine are always present in the French
| heart, and the statue of Strasburg is still
draped with Grape. We can fancy how we
| should feel if, at the close of a war with
! Great Britain, in which our armies had been
| defeated, the victor had insisted on the ces-
sion of Maine, Washington and Oregon. 1t
| would take much more than twenty years to
staunch the blood that would flow from that
wound.
Territory acquired by conquest always
comes high. Not only do the conquered IN
habtants cherish the memory of their old
allegiance for generations-as is the case
with the French Canadians at the present
| day-but it is a fatal mistake to conclude
peace which leaves bad taste in the mouth
of the nation on which the terms Of peace
are imposed. Every nation, at some time or
other, in some way or other, can do mis-.
| chief TO its oppressor. What the French
have made Alsace and Lorraine cost Ger
many, in the way of maintaining enormous
armies on war footing, far exceeds the war
| Indemnity of 1871, and all the years since
then the Germans have been made to feel
| that neighboring country, full of the
brightest minds of the day, cherished such
resentment at its spoliation that it would. SO
far as possible, shut the door of civilization
In the face of It's conquerOrs.