New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-04
OH RE&SLl " W.T. ELROPE.

THE disappearance Of powerful sovereign
and thr entrance of his successor upon me sc'h''
have ca,scd a duitcr Of excitement in every
Europcan capital 1t will soon pass lor Il h'"
and untrcd actor on Il great stage Is content
M first 10 follow accepted cues ana 10 pa! HIS
mart uuictly and modcstly. escaping observation
and criticism, far as may be possible ->'n'
,os II may he destined to Il commonplace or FOR
an exceptional ard Il famous reign pu' ~ Has
his part to learn, his powers To diSclphh'' "'''
his ambition to develop: and the pay n'''
while goes on without change or motive UT vi
action. He Is an unknown figure representing
Holy Russia but he stands IN a new EUROPE
whore individual wills whether OF so'erei2h~
or statesmen. have less force thin the! have
cxcrtcd during the last forty years. anu WHERE
nations and races are working ont their dcs-
tinirs INDEPENDENTLY Of the fortunes ana capilc's
Of dynaStcs.
4 brief retrospect will reveal the contrast be-
tween the Europe Of the first Nicholas ana ire
Europe Of to-day Forty years ago France anu
ruyI,ud through the restless ambition of Napo-
Icon ILL., were fighting side by side for the Turk
or,inst Russia. while Austria. which had been
saved from disruption by the Iron Gar WIS
inclined +, make common cause with them.
Two sovcrcjgns. one a trcachcrOus intrlguer ana
rho other IN obstinate but sincere mar'inct,
sv,vcl rho fortunes of the Continent while the
duplicity Of Austria opened the way Tor supSe'
uucnt European wars and the ti1umphs OF Dis
marck II was resentment for the lngrati'u"'
If Austria that rendered Russia passive spec
tator Of The trumphs of Napoleon Ill al Ma
gnnia and Solfcrino. and Of RiSmarcks diplo-
mlcv Of blood AMI iron in denmark, the Dnch-
les and Bohemia. When Austria was humiliai-
al and Germany united. Napoleon III. gct'ing
nothing in return for neutrality which had
h.cn useful 10 Prussia, dragged France INTO
4 war for which she was prcparcd. and end
cl his reign more disasrouSly than Nicholas !
had done Russia ~ the price Of her neutrality
obtained a free hand in another invasion Of the
Balkan. Austrla's consent being purchased in
advance by a secret treaty for the acquisition
If Bosnia and tho Herzegovina.
During that generation Of diplomatic intrigue
and military conquest ;hc dc>tinics Of Europe
were in the hands Of few powerful men.
Nicholas |. Napoleon III. Bismarck. Alexander
H. Francis Joseph. and during brief interval
Bracon>ficld. tore down the barriers OF treaty
law established 10y the Congress Of Vienna ana
r.cost the map If the Continent. The mo-
iIpuiOilS changes WrDu-Ul ny uppihiNs anu
war during that cycniful period were the work
of individual wills operating either in opposi-
tnr or conjunction. Nations were dependent
upon the secret intrigucS and dynaStlc ainDl-
lions II ,oycrrignS and their Ministers of state.
But il is not 80 now. The personality of King
or a chancellor counts for less than ii did when
Napoleon III was plotting without reference
10 the interests ~ France. or Gortchakon WAS
paving back Austria for her monStrouS ngrati-
rndc. or Bismarck creating "A Germany by
treaty breaking and then defending it and rem
dering It inyincblc bv "A triple alliance. With
Bismarck in retirement and all ~ his rivals
and associates In their graves. and with France
a democratic Republic. and all the great Powers
save Russia sobcred by sense of civic respoh-
s'bility and controlled by enlightened pubhc
opinion 1t is indeed new Europe in when
nations have more TO do than dynasic".
This is the stage where Nicholas II is To play
his part with other young SovereignS Xix" the
Emperor Of Germany. AS the AutOcrat of all
the. Russia, his will passes unchallcngcl among
his millions Of subjects. and l. tn" strongest
| Individual force to-day in Europc But II Is
| confronted with changed conditions on the CON
fncnt where the supreme aim Of diplomacy Is
the maintenance IL the balance Of power ana
where the chief object II tremendous national
armamcnts is the prevention OF war In"
scenes have been shifted: the prevailing style
Of acting on The part Of dip!omatisis has al
tered from tragic 10 opera bouffc: and the tenn
per of the audience has changed. Nicholas II
may create II great part for himself. if he can
cmancpatr himself fiom the traditions and
manncrisms OF the rcignng school; but Old
IL, N.ff, it, IL No
longer geographical expression. bu; a dom
inant all powerful force