The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-10
THAT NEW ALLIANCE.
AUSTRIA, GERMANY AND RUSSIA TAKE
A SIGNIFICANT STAND.

Opposed by England, Italy and France.
"A Struggle Between Despotism and De-
mocracy VIII BE the Outcome.
BY far the most significant and in
come respects the most portentous out
rome of the Turco- Grecian war is the
dissolution of the old dreibund, the sud-
den rupture of the Franco Russian alli-
ance and the equally sudden alliance OF
Austria, Germany and Russia in union
apparently offensive and defensive
against the other European states. The
new dreibund of itself is sufficient evil
dence Of the weakness and inharmoni-
business of the much talked Of concert OF
the powers. The first real outbreak OF
war, though its outcome was apparent
from the first, revealed its impotence, its
jealousies and its lack Of harmony in
action. It never went farther than a
half hearted blockade Of Crete 1t failed
utterly in the proposed blockade Of the
Piraus, which had been threatened II
the Greek government did not Mt once
withdraw it's troops from Crete or If it
made any hostile movement against
Turkey.
The new alliance Of Germany, Aus
tria and Russia will be confronted by
] that of Great Britain, France and Italy.
| Whenever the contest shall come it will
/ be q struggle between three absolute
monarchies on the one hand and two
liberal governments and q republic on
the other, between three governments
whose people have no voice in public
affairs and three governments whose
people have something to say and whose
influence is powerful in shaping poll
| cies, between three nations ruled by
three autocrats and three nations which
enjoy self government in greater or
lesser degree.
As one correspondent has well de-
scribed it, it is an alliance Of despotism
against democracy. In these alliances
likes have sought like. 1t is czar, kaiser
and emperor against queen, king and
president, and the combinations are en-
tirely natural. 1t makes little difference
what causes have led to this move on
the board, whether it grows out of the
inability of western and eastern Europe
| to agree on the settlement Of the Turco-
Grecian question or the eastern question
| in general, or whether the new alliance
has been made to head off the English
aggression in South Africa. The Aus
trian ambassador at Berlin undoubtedly
correctly states one of the causes when
he says:
| GAS for things in South Africa, the
continental powers have the same peace
full and Just aim-to maintain the pres
ent status, resting upon international
agreements which cannot be broken
with impunity by either Great Britain,
the Transvaal or Portugal.
"The facts brought to the notice of
the continental powers are such as to
show that peace is threatened in South
Africa. and the emperor of Germany
has taken the lead in suggesting joint
steps to neutralize the danger Of hostil-
tiles. His plans are heartily indorsed by
Austria and Russia, with the condition
al approval of France. Great Britain
will not be permitted to annex the
Transvaal or to destroy its independ-
ence. The remonstrances of the con-
tinental powers will soon be presented
to Great Britain, and no doubt they
]
litical as we'll as commercial Importance
to Europe that the present political con-
ditions in South Africa should be main
tanned"
Whatever may have been the causes
and whatever may be the purposes Of
this coalition, it is sufficient that it ex-
lists and that it is stronger and more en-
thusiastic than the old alliance. Even
Hungary has abated its old Magyar
joins Austria in its new relations, and
Russia has sounded a note of defiance to
Great Rritain, not alone by the exten-
sion Of its railroad lines to the Afghan
frontier, but also by its sudden determi-
nation to extend the Transcaucasian
road via Teheran, the Persian capital,
to the Indian ocean, which will enable
it in case of emergency or trouble Of
any sort to have its troops ON the India
coast in week.
The mere fact Of this new alliance
must put Great Britain on guard. Great
Britain and France are natural allies
and ought to come together, as they did
in the Crimean war. Italy also should
come into the alliance, as its interests
are somewhat akin. In this alliance
there would be total population Of
about lO8, 900, 900, as compared with
about l97, ,OOO,0 900 in Germany, Aus
tria- Hungary and Russia in Europe
Great Britain is somewhat short on
land forces, but France has a largo ar
my. England has the most powerful
navy in the world, France the next
most powerful, and Italy the third.
There has been feeling Of semihostil.
ity between Italy and France which
drove the former over to Germany. but
that feeling has largely disappeared,
and a. they are both Latin nations
their union should not be difficult,
while az between Great Britain and
France there are blood ties dating way
back to William the Conqueror The al
lance Of France and Russia, . despot-
ism and republic, was never natural