Evening journal., 1893-05-29
OPPRESSIVE PEACE.
all EUROPE IS NOW LIVING TIE
LIFE OF + cANTONMENT.

Two accounts have reached London rs TO
military preparations on the continent
which may prove to have even historic
importance. According to one, the Aus
trian government and the people have alike
determined that they will not increase the
numbers Of their soldiers or the expendi-
ture on their army, believing that they
have already nearly reached the limit of eX-
ertion and had better wait for the last SUI
preme effort until war actually breaks out.
According to another, the moderate leaders
Of the German liberals are earnestly en-
treating She government not to dissolve on
the army bill lest the emperor should be
defeated, hat rather to seek some COM
promise, or even withdraw the measure.
The country, these liberals had previously
said, is sick OF sacrifices.
Even should both these accounts be
little exaggerated and some further conces-
sions be made 90 militarism they indicate
o general opinion among persons not hos
tile TO governments in the abstract that
the great military states of central Europe
have reached the limit Of warlike prepara-
tion i'm peace time and must henceforward
await events with all the fortitude they
may. They can polish their weapons, ac-
uuire better arms or avail themselves OF
any new inventions, but they can utilize no
more Of their population until war actually
arrives This decision, moreover, had pre-
viously been announced by Italy, which,
indeed, pressed by her financial burdens,
had even slightly reduced her forces and
revised with a view TO economy all the al
| rangements for q sudden mobilization of
| her troops The whole Of central Europe,
therefore, may be reported to have agreed
that they will not invade and can do no
more to render themselves safe against in
vasion.
Nearly the same may be said Of the threat
ening powers upon their borders. France
is as completely armed as she can bear;
has indeed reached the end of the conscrip-
ton possible in peace time, has finished her
fortresses, and in spite OF her extraordinary
wealth, which the rest of world even yet
hardly realizes, is most unwilling before
war is actually upon her to increase the
burdens on her people Russia is in almost
thesame position. Her finances are strained
to the last point, and it is doubtful whether
she would gain strength by accumulating
moro of her army in the west, where all
ready the increased cost of food, forage and
barrack accommodation is severely felt by
the military department, which still re-
quires large sums to perfect its supplies OF
scientific munitions Of war.
If this is an accurate account-and we
believe It TO rest upon the best information
the whole continent has at last reached a
position in which an armed peace, eXces-
sively but not unendurably costly, may last
for years, perhaps even for generation.
The rulers are afraid to break it, and the
peoples are not even inclined. The former
understand the magnitude Of the risks tC
be run, the equality of the two great par
ties into which Europe is divided and tn,
difficulty of discovering the military genius
which alone could secure durable victory
to one side or the other. The latter under
,, stand the horrible carnage which will mari
the next campaign, and though they vii
Y face it IL attacked they do not urge thei
rulers to begin-are rather inclined indee'
3 to praise their wisdom when they close al
, questions which might lead to war. The.
are sensible folk and have their bones L
, take care Of If they can.
This is a kind of peace, and one woul'
say priori that, except as regards taxa
; tion, it was a satisfactory kind. But thi
/ kind Of peace has, nevertheless, peculiari
ties which weigh upon the minds Of men
For one of them Il does not produce conf
donce either in rulers or their peoples. Tn
y former will not disarm for an hour, how
: ever great the relief would be TO their trea:
uries and their subjects; the latter will 90
y enter on any undertaking which cannot b
finished in a few months. Industry doe
~ not languish, and enterprise Is not dead, bu
the capital of the world accumulates /
7 heaps, only to be retained in heaps "unt
= there is more certainty"
u The projectors of new undertakings fin
themselves dealing with capitalists suddeI
l. ly gone old, stricken with caution, incline
q, 70 count time and TO say they must lea'
il projects so great TO be considered by the
+ successors. It is time FOR the direct raj
!. way TO India, time for great works in IL
A way of storage Of water, time for maxim
the interior of Africa fully accessible, bi
the nations shrink back, and with monC
,o choking all markets say they would rathl
4 wait for more assured peace. The qui
n, is real, as real as the quiet in a camp
NJ night, but it has none of the material u
sr vantages of quict
N Nobody, so TO speak, dare strip to h
81 work or put himself i'm any position
No. which, if the quiet were broken by lot
IN | cries he could not instantly be ready
~ meet any danger, however unexpected. T
\. pace of the whole industrial world has
" come slower. and if the truce lasts 30 yeai
M those years will show less advance i'm indt
10 trial progress than in any of the rece
go thirties which have preceded them It
be nations grow rich, it is true; but it is
~ men grow rich by agriculture, not es Cd
~ grow rich in hustling and prosperous woI
nj shops. There is a lull even in intellectr
co life, lull in the production of great men
ol lull in the appearance of great books,
y. going on like the life Of a cantonme
where there is no war and no peace, q
everything Is duly eXl lectant of a cont
gency which may never occur, but to ni
he which everything must Oe kept In AN
nd derly routine The armed p, nee produ
an something like the halt of am army whit
tor all is quiet, hut all effort is felt TO be usel
i've or out of place and is consequently Ia
lie hearted.-London Spectator.
lad squire hbingdon's One Joke.
'hc Nobody ever accused Squire Abingdon
ON | knowing anything outside of turf hist