The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-06-30

one an0tner ana Win one accord
wheeled into line to face the common
danger that threatened them for near
ly twenty years from the Bridge Of
Lothi to the field OF Waterloo.
1t is because the close Of the nine
teenth century sees the American idea
again active and promising again to
work out its predestined mission in a
mysterious way that there is 30 un-
usual a stir in Europe and rumors of
concerts and joint notes and interven-
tions. There is everywhere an un-
easy feeling in the European air and
the occupant Of each throne keeps his
ear close to the ground or the royal
binocular trained upon the drama now
being enacted in the New World,
which stands to him very much in the
same disquieting relation as did the
affairs of France and of Napoleon at
the termination Of the eighteenth CEN
tury. Hence the mingled feelings Of
fear and anxiety with which this petty
Spanish-American war is regarded,
and which, says one of the best in
formed Of the London correspondents.
rs matter Of greater concern to the
European nations than to America
herself"
Why should It be a matter of great
er concern to European nations" than
to the country upon whose borders 1t
takes place and which is one of the
actual participants in the contest? 1t
is because Europe is reposing above a
sort Of submarine mine that may at
any moment explode. Because at the
end Of this as at that Of the eighteenth
century. their subjects are restless and
unhappy, and those European powers
jealous Of and well acquainted with
each others relative strength seen in
America a new and unknown quantity
suddenly precipitated into tho situa-
ton and whose latent powers they are
all unable to guage accurately. It Is
as II the spectre Of the French Revolu-
ton or Napoleon had again arisen to
fire the hostile and armed camps and
was wrapped this time in the mantle
of Monroe. The Kings Of Europe are
not more intelligent or less supersti-
tious than are other people. And the
time and circumstance Of the peryad-
ing danger is not calculated to allay
the royal fears. First the storm CEN
tre is once more Of New World origin.
And America like a young Colossus
stands high and seems In their fright
ful imaginations to be preparing to
stalk around the Universe. Second the
trouble comes about Spain and Europe
remembering how she was rifted at
the close Of the seventeenth century by
the twelve years war of the Spanish
Succession, wonders whether now a
similar fate again awaits her. There
is strange lull," observed the corre-
spondents, both in the domestic and
international concerns of each country,
and governments and people alike
have put aside their own affairs in or
der to watch the tragedy toward which
European disputes often tend but
which Europe has managed to avoid
for nearly a generation" Quite SO.
The American idea that leavened Eu-
rope before, not as Europe under
SlduuS II, manleStcu llbell IOT nearly
q generation. What shape it will take
now, or to what extent 1t will sway
Europe is the chief cause of the
present strange lull in Europs whose
domestic and International affairs
have actually stopped still pending the
present trouble. 1t has hardly affect
ed us at all. On learning the intense
commotion abroad, however, the stride
of every patriotic American should be
at least cheerful.Let the Yankee breast
then heave with the swell of true pa
triotic emotion, because 1t seems this
country at this moment Is actually
discharging functions towards the
States of Europe analogous to that of
the Sun, which besides being the
source Of light and life and heat acts
as the great ring master Of the uni
verse by keeping the planets and the
whole solar system In their regular
order. That is the mission of America
while 1t is the destiny of European
thrones to be paralysed with the fear
OF coming disaster al least every CEN
tury or so.