The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-05
sNelaI Core.pondenee q he hll,I!igmeer.

Special correspondence 0I me Iltel!lgenctF'
PARIS, March 22,-Americans who are
so exceptional as not to have visited
Europe think it strange that European
correspondents give such prominence
as they do to military affairs, and won
der why it is that these worthy gentle
men treat tho American public, us rcgu-
larly MS the spring opens, to sensational
predictions OF an impending European
war, The time was when we were per-
picked upon these points ourselves,
but We think now that We fully under
stand tho matter. A little, OF course,
must be allowed for newspaper center
prise" and you can spell the word
with big ~" ii you like, aud leave
room in it Tor considerable exercise Of
tho imaginative faculties But this Is
only partial explanation, To do full
justice, the question Of environment
must be taken into account. One
brea,hes in Europa u military atmos-
phGre. Tho armaments ui these nations
are tho biggest things Hbont them. The
question vi war or peace is nearly
always the question oil the hour, and
national happiness waits continually
upon the answer, From this point Of
view the difference between tho United
SIalns and France is the difference be.
tween nation with standing army OF
10000 and another nation, not much
more than half rs populOus, which has
n standing army OF about Il million and
quarter, with men enough in its re-
serve forces to swell tho number to
over four millions. 10 put the contrast
in another light there arc twice rs
many soldiers in Paris alone as you
could drum up to-day within the far
reaching limits OF our entire nation.
After residing here ior time ono
gels M mixing OF the Significance OF
these figures, and OF the awful possibili.
tics they opcn up rs regards tho future.
Tho dilemmu which c0uironts you is
this-eithGr that the French people arc
nation Of fools, bent on bankrupting
themselves without any good reason, or
that they are nation over whose heads
tremendous war cloud impends, which
may break ut any time with such de.
structivo fury ~ TO threaten their very
existence. Perhaps they are fools any
way; perhaps all these continental peo-
Pile arc fools. This doesn't seem at all
Improbable when you remember that
every century tho battle fields OF Europe
absorb the life blood OF eighteen or
twenty millions Of her Towering man
hood, and that Germany, after her
great victory over France, spent the
billions OF dollars Of indemnity she en-
acted in strengthening her deiences
and has since laid out on her army moro
than three billions OF dollars taken ont
OF the pockets OF her own people. But
hero again the question OF environment
comes in, for ii one nation in Europe
does it, they must all do it. So they
say over here, at least, and after study
ing the situation at close range, it il
difficult to see how either French or
Germany could do, in the circumstances
in which they are placed, any different.
ly from what they are doing.
SURFACE APPEAR RANGES.
On the surface OF things it would APP
pear as though these elaborate prepare.
tions for war were, after all, the best
possible guarantee OF continued peace.
Germany, 1t is quite certain, has been
less inclined to precipi,atc conflict
with France ainCe 1889, when the latter,
by sweeping war measure, made army
service practically universal. 1t is Ger
tain, too, that when the new army
measures have been completed on the
other side OF the Rhine, France will DO
less inclined than before to renew hos.
tilties against Germany. And still an.
other safeguard arising from the extern
sion OF military CONSUMPTION is, that
the further they extend the more they
involve tho nation as whole, and the
moro, in consequence, do they make
the question OF war or peace one in
which tho whole nation is personally
Interested. In France, where the gov
ernment is strictly representative, this
is particularly the case, This nation is
no longer plaything for kings, 1t is
not within the power Of an emperor or
president to turn loose her dogs of
war. Ifwar should come, it will be be-
cause the people shall so Decree and
since tho people are the army--overy
family contributing its contingent-it
would seem to be only plausible sup.
position that they will move cautiously,
and before drawing the sword, pause q
little time to count the cost and sec If
such dire extremity may not by some
means be avoided.
This is how ono could wish il to be,
and how the surface facts would warrant
US in expecting that it will DO. But
there is, unfortunately, another side to
this fair picture. 1t Is quito true as re.
CARDS France that tho initiative Of war
rests with the great body Of tho people,
but II is equally true that the people OF
this nation are resting at present under
the humiliation OF crushing defeat
and that, with scarcely an exception,
they cherish feelings OF bitterness, per.
haps oven OF vindctiveness, towards
the nation which chastised them. In
moving amongst tho French people 1t
becomes painfully evident to oven tho
most casual observer that tho present
peace is looked upon merely as a truce
between two engagements, that the bat
tic for final supremacy has yet to come,
and that the French people, whilo they
may fear to hasten that tnal duel, will
not sock to avoid 1t, and will consider
their situation permanently TRANQUIL
only whom it has been fought aud won
SENSITIVE NATION.
Tho French are exceedingly sonsl.
tive. Proud Of their history rs ma.
ton OF fighters, and with passion for
military glory such as no other OF the
great powers Of Europe has shown, Il
was hardly to DO expected TINT thew