Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-21
OTHER LANDS THAN Guns.

Italy has lost everything in Africa. The
treaty negotiated surrenders everything for
which Italy has struggled. The barren sea-
board ana barren provinces left 20 Italy on
| the Red Sea are OF no value. Iscy have
not paid expenses and they cannot. They
were the threshold OF farther conQucsts,
They we're Intended to embrace the elevated
| plateau OF Abyssnin. This would have
| given the base of colonial empire In which
| Europeans could live and In which
warlikc and industrious race could yield
revenue. II this could have been con-
quercd italy would have had 100000 square
miles. As II is 1t holds some $4,000 This
has cost in all nearly S500OO,00O since 1889,
all expended by country which. In most
Of the last fourteen years, has had a deficit.
But the moral effects of Italian defeat are
moro serious than the pecunlary loss. The
individual bravery of Italians is admitted.
In attacking Abyssmia the Kingdom cf Italy
attempted the most difficult task offered by
tho African continent one whose difficulties
were not felt by Lord Napier In taking Mag
dala. In organization and leadership the
Italian army proved deficient and its repulso
in Abyssnia has seriously weakened it's
European position. The enterprise began as
pure piece OF spoiation. Its failure leaves
brave people in the independence they
have maintained for thirty centuries against
all comers.
What Bismarck's motive was in telling the
story OF his own strange treaty making is not
very clear IL has been attributed 10 his
hatred OF Won Caprivi, but that person is no
longer a factor in German politics. The
most plausible explanation is that he realizes
the position in which Germany has been
placed by the laundering policy Of its rulers.
and deems that by the course which he has
taken he may bring about return to the
policy which, ten years ago. made Germany
supreme In Europe. How different it is to-
day! Italy has at last begun to see that
she has gained no advantage from the Triple
Alliance, and her humiliation in Abyssinia
may lead her to abandon her dreams of con-
quest. Already she shows change Of heart
by the negotiation of the Tunisan treaty
with France, treaty which will largely
help her commercially. Roumania and Aus
tria-Hungary are in full accord. and the
friendship between Russia and France is
thorn in the side of Germany. 1t is not
England but the Fatherland which stands
alone in Europe, and it's future is one that
Is full of menace.
There are said 20 be many signs in Paris
Of a change Of public continent with regard
to the treatment OF the Orleans princes.
The Duc d'Aumale's refusal to join the din
ner given at the Elysoe in honor of the
czar, or to attend the review at Chalons
camp, on tho ground, as he explained to NJ.
Felix Faure, that he could not appear as a
civilian among generals in full uniform.
wearing medals which, like his own, had
been won on the field OF battle, has produced
strong impression, and the opinion is eX-
pressed that the law OF 1856 ought to be modi-
fed, if not abolished altogether. The abb
sence of the Due d'Aumale from the recent
festivities directed public attention 10 the
whole subject in fofcibe manner. 1t is
pointed out that NJ. Felix Faure himself
voted ngainst tho nyiln laws wbiIn radical
minister like NJ. Leon Bourgeois bestowed
on Prince Henri dOrleans the ribbon of
the Legion of Honor in the spring. The
queen of Portugal. moreover, on the occasion
of her recent visit to Paris, received an Of
fetal greeting on the part of the French
government, and was the object OF marked
official and social attention. People are be-
ginning to question the justice or logic OF
such distinctions, and the suggestion is
made that nothing is more likely to make tho
Due dOrleans a danger to the republic
than the sentence OF banishment which he
so strongly resents.
There is reason to fear that the OPEN
ing of China, which was promised to be
effected by the treaty of Shimoncsed will
be indefinitely postponed. The Chino-Japa-
nese commercial treaty by which the rights
granted in the convention of Shimonoseki
to establish manufactures in the open ports
were to be settled in detail, Is about to be
ratified, and the result will be to leave theA
status of affairs pretty much as 1t was be-
fore the Oriental war. Ii Hung Changs
OF the taxation on manufac-
lures" clause of the treaty of ShimonCseki
has been incorporated in the commercial
treaty, after a long contest between the
Chinese and Japanese plenipotentiaries and
consequently the Chinese government will
have power to place prohibitive duties on
all goods manufactured by aliens in China
a power of which, no doubt, full advantage
will be taken. Foreigners who by reason OF
the most favored nation" clause had cN-
pected to reap the benefits of the Shimon-
oseki treaty coincidently with the Japanese.