The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-29
VIEWS OF LONDONERS
ON THE FRANCO-RUssIAN ALLIANCE
AND DOM PAUL's SPEECH.
why Frenchmen Are TickIed over the
Cars Alleged Utterances-Gen-
eraI Foreign News.
Copyright, 1897, by the Associated Press)

tCOpyrlght, 1897, by the Associated fTeSS.(
LONDON. Aug. 2S.-In political London
at present there is plenty of talk about
France, India and President Kruger, each
contributing a sensation through the week,
while the rise in wheat has set loose an
oratorical flood regarding the agriculture
of England. All four topics promise
abundant sequences, both material and po-
litical.
The accomplishment of the Franco-Rus-
sian alliance, which some of the Conserva-
tive newspapers are inclined to deny, ex-
postulating that the Cars words could be
applied to any friendly nation, is, however,
accepted by the majority an undoubted'
fact. This is recognized deIiriously in
France, sneeringly in Austria, uncomfort-
ably in Germany and here in London they
are slowly awakening to the underlying
meaning of the alliance as it is understood
on the continent. France is delighted for
three reasons. Reasonably or unreasonably,
the alliance is accepted as foreshadowing
the retrocession of Alsace-Lorraine, which,
France holds, Russia would be glad to as
sist in as a snub to Germany; secondly,
the alliance upsets Germany's desire to
bring about united continental action
against Great Britain; thirdly, the alliance
largely shifts the control of Europe back
to France.
The popular opinion of London, which re-
joices at the alliance as being entirely di-
rected against Germany, is well voiced by
the Saturday Review, which says: The
Emperor of Germany has received a rebuff
which he will bitterly resent. There is no
doubt the formal alliance of France and
Russia makes it hencefOrth impossible for
him to be that arbiter of the destinies of
Europe which he aspires to become. The
dual alliance is at least as powerful as the
triple alliance was formerly. 1t is no longer
a dream.
In France one curious result of Presi-
dent FaureS visit to Russia has been the
creation of Prince Louis Napoleon as a new
pretender. The French newspapers are all
convinced that there was a political mo-
tive in his refusal to accept the Legion of
Honor decoration at the hands of Presi-
dent Faure, although the prince distinctly
stated that his refusal was based on the
fact that he had received from Napoleon
III while in his cradle the grand GORDON of
that order.
President Kruger's sensational defiance of
Great Britain is accepted coldly by the
British as amounting to nothing and to
which the transfer of the British protec-
torates from the Foreign Office to the Co
lonial Office is a reply Joseph Chamber
lain. secretary of state for the colonies, has
absolutely affirmed the suzerainty of Great
Britain over the TranSVaal, and is deter
mlned 10 assert II IN no uncertain IdSnlOn.
The Saturday Review utters "A dissenting
cry, declaring that the convention of 1884
was expressly framed to define the COM
plete independence of the Beers.
The international congress of Catholic
student scholars, the fourth of a series or
ganized in 1888 by Mgr Hula, of Paris, has
been in session during the week at Fri
burg, Switzerland. Seven hundred dele
gates, representing all nations, have been
present Among them was a notable band
of Anglo-Americans and Irish-Americans,
including DR.. Zahn, the Catholic evolution
list, of Indiana; Mgr. OConnell, president
of the American College at Rome, and five
professors of the Catholic University at
Washington. Baron Won Huertling, OF Mu-
Mich. Scores of papers were read, and they
were all conspicuous for their frankly mod
ern and advanced tone. At the same time
the delegates were absolutely loyal to the