The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-01-15
ENGLAND AND GERMANY.

Why does England stand alonee To
this natural question ;here are the most
comprehensive England has
incurred the Jealousy OF every power. Al
every turn OF the map she runs across
the path OF some other nation. She
squats down at Germany's very door, she
menaces France AMI Spain. she bars the
progress OF Russia. and only recently she
has been neeilessly arrogant to the United
States, Commercially she is supreme.
aud that commercial supremacy Is a con-
slant irritation TO the men on the Rhine
as well as to the RhoaS They mas
disagree on everything else. but on one
subject the French and Germans are
unanimoCs-hatred OF England The
ether reason for T,ngisnd's isolation is
that ii is her traditional policy TO have
no alliances except when the necessities
OF the case compel her to form a coali-
tiOn for a specified purpose. But it is
always a limited partnership. When the
object is gained the partnership is imme-
diatcly dissolved. For years Germany
endeavored to induce England to become
a member Of TIE "dreiband" herselL
Austria / italy,, but England. whether
under a Liberal or Conservative govern
ment, has politely declined. In times
past France has courted England and so
has Russia. but England has steadfastly
adhered to her position and declined en-
tangling alliances.
England's policy is the policy Of COM
mercial onquest- She does not want
war. 1t would be impossible 10 force
England into war except the empire it.
self were at stake or to avenge an insult
to the national honor. SIt meanwhile
England keeps her navy the equal
OF any other two navies aGoat. and
she is constantly adding to her chain OF
Notifications and eoaling stations.
whether in the waters Of the Pacific or
of the shores Of the Levant. For the
last quarter Of a century. at least. Eng
land has occupied this position Of con-
tinental isolation She has known that
France has hungered to enace the memory
Of many a bitter blow, deeds written In
history from Agiacourt to Waterloo.
She has known that Russia has looked
forward to the day when she could sat-
isfy her traditional longing for revenge,
a longing now two centuries old. and
which during the present generation has
had additional fuel on which to feed.
Twice within the memory Of living man
has she tried conclusions with England {
once to he routed with British bayonets.
combined with those OF france and Sar-
dinia' and twenty years or so later to be
Inundated by British diplomacy.
During recent years the relations be-
tween Germany and England have been I
unsettled. When the first William was !
emperor Of Germany, England felt no !
fear from that quarter. During the all /
too short reign Of his son, London and C
Berlin worked in concert. but since the q
accession Of his grandson. the present :
emperor, British statesmen have recor- a
nized a new element Of danger. Will y
lam of Germany" TO quote a member !
of the diplomatic corps, has one quality :
which makes any man great, although !
it is a greatness Of a peculiar a
kind. 1t is the quality Of determination.
Having made up his mind 70 do a thing ,
he will do II, If not today then tomorrow. q
or next month. or next year. or ten years a
hence, but do 1t he finally will. He c
made up his mind long age that England :
must be his ally; that English ships and Ii
redcoats must be at his command Il
he was ready TO move his battalions y
their march to Paris once more. En- 4
gland declined the alliance. Fair words
failed, he resorts to threats. lie
coquetted with Russia, he has even
acted %co-jointly with France in the far
East, all for the purpose Of showing Eng
that unless she enters the 'dreibund'
he can look nowhere for assistance in
1 time of need"
In his recent ebullitlon perhaps the en- g
'eror merely wanted TO vent his anger. A
he wanted to give the world an "
,ther sensation-but whatever his motives -
ie has played with fire, and now the fire yC
u be getting beyond his control m
Any fool can fire the Ephesian dome. but ~
can quench the conHagratlon?