The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-22
Indications That Representa-
tiVeS of Those Nations
Mean Mischief.
AGGRESSIVE ON THE PACIFIC.
BY Stealth the Great White Bear Is
Stealing a March at Port
Arthur.
copyright, 1895, by the New York Times ]

LONDON, Eng, Sept. 21.-Cynics are
pointing out that on the day it was an
nounced that the Russian Minister of
Foreign Affairs was coming over from
Contrexville to pay state visit to the
French President at the headquarters of
the French maneuvers, the news was also
published of a further Russian loan, to be
issued in Paris November 1. There is, of
course, a certain kind of connection
between the two things, but when this has
been discovered there still remains the
imposing and substantial fact that in its
direct relation to the peace of Europe this
demonstration at the camp of Mirecourt is
a good deal more important and disquiet-
ing than was even the historic Toulon-
Paris carousal of two years ago. This is
the first time that the political side of the
Russian Government has been formally
brought in and exhibited as a part of the
rapprochement between the autocracy
and the republic.
Prince Lopanoff and NJ. Hanotaux,
cIoseted together for the better part of two
days in the center of an encampment of
10000 French troops of all arms, furnish
a spectacle which compeIs serious
thoughts. These two Foreign Ministers
may have talked about the. weather or
played picquet, it is true, but that scarcely
matters. Their obvious intention was to
create dramatic situation of extreme in
terest by the mere fact that they were to-
gether under such conditions, and in that
they have undoubtedly succeeded.
1t is observable, too, that the Russian
and French generals at the maneuvers
have spoken much more openly, even
recklessly, about the brotherhood of arms
existing between the two nations than
they had heretofore. The scene of mimic
warfare was for the first time in Lorraine,
and the speakers of both races as they
drsak 1oaeis in The evening of the day of
their joint glory in the battlefield, lifted
their glasses intuitively toward the blue
line of the Vosges, where their common
enemy is intrenched.
The German papers have studiously ig-
nored all this, but it would be a mistake 10
suppose that any aspect of it has gone I'M
noticed. Peoples minds are therefore
prepared afresh for some tangible mani
festation of Franco-Russian intentions.
After their taking such elaborate pains to
show that they have established the closest
kind of partnership, it is only natural to
begin to look for some of its fruits. Hence
public suspicion runs eagerly ahead of the
ascertained facts to believe that these two
powers have deserted England in Armenia
and betrayed Germany in the Far East.
Both suspicious seem more probable than
not; but these things move very slowly
and on curiously devious lines, and It is to
-, bar oil =
will pocket many quiet affronts and put on
a good face on one discontinue after an
other in the pursuit OF her studiously
waiting game.
She will never abandon the pretense of
amiable relations with Russia until she is
obliged to do so, or suffer herself to be
gored into rash action when prudence die
tates the other thing. Emperor William
talks excitedly, but his deeds are ex-
tremely cautious, and so it happens that
even when France and Russia do con-
certed Joint action and popular expectations
of trouble run high, Germany calmly asso-
ciates herself with this action and steril-
ICES it for mischief.
Vague reports are beginning to come of
anticipated or accomplished Russian ag-
gressions on the Pacific It is said to be
understood at st. Petersburg that the Chi
nese assent has been given to Russian
occupation of Port Arthur. If this be true
it will place England in a very awkward
position, indeed. for this is precisely what
the whole succession of British Ministers
have pledged themselves Russia should
never be permitted to do. Although it is
now stated that the Pamir difficulty has
many other open diplomatic questions
scattered around the globe that this one
would hardly be missed.
Rome's celebration of the twenty-ffth
anniversary of General Cadoria's entrance
through the breach in the papal walls has
been all too palpably partisan affair,
grand festival and picnic of red-shirted
Garibaldians, Masonic lodges and target
shooting societies, rather than national
demonstration. Humbert remains King
of the Carbonari, and not much else, just
as his father was quarter of a century
ago. 1t is significant that the Parliament
and its officers were scarcely mentioned
during the festivities, and cut no figure at
all in the ceremonials. There was a good
deal of royalty, and still more of Crispi,
but scarcely a reminder OF the constitu-
tionaI nation. The truth is that Italy, as
a whole, is in no mood for merrymaking,
and discerns no practical reasons for cher
ishing 1870 as a sacred date. The promises
of that delusive year have all been broken.
The peninsula is as divided against itself
as it was under the Grand Dukes, and the
people are not better educated or housed,
fed and clothed. Taxation has risen to the
poii:t of ruin. The national debt of this
small Impoverished country equals that OF
the United States at the end of the Civil
War. Politics has grown incredibly
base and rotten, and worst of all, there is
permanent religious feud ceaselessIy dis
turbing the social life OF every village, dis
rupting families, estranging friends with
deadly certainty and making another Ire
land of the unhappy land.
Crispi's long speech yesterday reeog-