New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-04
THREE GREAT POWERS.

Herr Eebknecht, the German Socialist lead
err is not always judicious in his utterances, nor
nv any means always iniudIcions He Is
shrewd observer. and often perrc'ves the trend
Of current fairs more clearly than those whose
ewes peer through the glasses Of conventional
tradition He has n habit. too. OF speaking ont
loudly and clearly those 'hings which others
speak In guarded whispers and eQnivocal
phrases. His latest comments on the America
Spanish War supply n case in point. He sees
and says that with her geographical remote
ness neutralized by modern methods Of com
munlcation. this country Is becoming more and
more factor IN the politics OF the world, to
be reckoned with by all Powers that are
wise And then he adds that n new Dreibund
Is impending which shall make all others minor
and all other paramount Powers and leagues
things OF the past. a Triple League OF the Brit
ish Empire, the Japanese Empire and the
United States.
That, we may say, Is a fanc,fu vision. Yes,
so far as alliance in the common European
sense Of the term Is concerned It is incon-
cevable that. save under stress Of circum-
stances for which no man now looks these
three great Powers should form a league on
anything Ike such terms as those which Aus
there Is a higher law than mrarlsm, under
which steady and lasting growing together
OF these Powers seems wcngh as certain as
the flowing Of the tides 1t is not for offence
against any other, for not one Of them wishes
any other harm. II is not for defence, for
these Powers have little cause for fear No;
but II Is for the peaceful promotion OF those
commercial, Industrial and social ends which
undue Boosting, they may claim to have in
somewhat higher degree than the other nations
OF the world. Against the military leagues Of
hates or fears, recorded on parchments with
imperial seals they may place the league of a
community OF interests ba sed on the unwritten
mandate Of the peoples WILL
That such community OF interests exists is
indisputable The three are diverse in forms
Of governmental kingdom, an empire and
republlc-yet in spirit they are much alike the
three most democratic and representative gov
ernments OF all great nations on the globe.
All three are supremely Industrial and CONNER
cial All aim at popular sovereignty, at pop
ular culture, at the popular veal citizen OF
any one Of the three readily adapt himself
TO the institutions and customs OF either of the
other two. and feel more at home there than
in any other country In the world It Is true
there Is a diversity Of race. The japanese are
not Anglo-Saxons. But the Anglo Saxons are
the most composite OF races.
For Saxon or Dane or Norman We.
Teuton or Cet. or whatever we be-
Nor are We all Caucasian. but irrevocably
mingled in the body polite are millions Of the
black race, and myrads If not millions Of the
yellow. II we accept as citizens the Huns
who are Of Tartar Mongol stock. why stand
aloof from the japanese, who are the very
crown Of the whole MongOl racer
Such Triple League ms that OF Herr Lieb-
knechts vision would be world spanning
league, the first Of Its kind ever formed 1t
would comprise the sons Of Ham and Shem
and Japhet. II would include representatives
OF the white race and the black the yellow, the
red and the brown. 1t would have dominant
foothold on all five continents and mastery on
the seven seas. Incomparably above all others
ever formed, II would be cosmopolitan in place
md race, and the nearest realization ever
known Of that other vision Of 1.-THE parliament
Of man. the federation Of the world" II may
not be effected In our day to any more tangible
and concrete extent than at this present mo-
ment But there Is no International tendency