The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-21
SMALL MATT ONS ECLIPSED.
But in Their Eclipse Lies Their Security
Against Absorption.
(Boston Transcript. }

The aspiration with which the Queen
Regent of Holland closes the proclama.
ton in which she announces the accession
of her daughtera to sroyalI powers. that
Holland "may become great in every
thing in which small nation can he
great is evidence that she realizes that
this is an age in which little countries
will do very we'll if they do not become
less. This is an age of consolidation of
power by the expansion of territory.
Small nations, those with population Of
few millions, that yet retain their in
dependence, owe retention more to good
fortune than to their ability in arms
| The chief element OF this good fortune is
the rivalry among the larger nations that
| would absorb them, and the determine
tion of each of the great .powers that the
others shall make no acquisition that
shall upset tho balance of power. For this
| reason, such small countries as SwiUzer-
| 10 nd, Belgium, Holland, Portugal and
Greece are allowed to continue on the
map. Germany would like to absorb Hol-
| land, but that would not be tolerated by
| England.
France has long cast hungry eyes on
Belgium, but Germany yetoes the fulfil
ment of French desires and England
would not be indifferent We all recall
how Bismarck used to bangle before the
eyes of Napoleon III the suggestion that
some day or other as the reward for his
neutrality during Prussia's progress in
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT D slice of Belgium might
be given to France Switzerland is sur
rounded by covetous neighbors. Italy
would like the Swiss canton; France
would be pleased to rectify her frontier
Cric (rqrrnSnv a
similar wish, but Austria would not con-
sent to partition OF Switzerland that did
not give her predoninance, and against
this all the other would-be Practitioners
would be up in arms. Portugal is pro-
tected by British friendship, which takes
care to make a good thing for itself out
of the old-time relationship.
These small nations all live quite COM
fortably in their isolation from great in
tel ests, but the day is past when they
can expand their teri tories or repeat the
great deeds of their prime. Switzerland
lives on the summer visitors, and what
Portugal lives on is mainly memory, n
drowsy little power in a corner by herself.
Holland still has great colonial empire,
with native population of more than
80, CO., 600, and does a snug business &C
cumulates money and is in every way n
most respectable little country only ask.
ing to be let alone. Neither by land or sea
is Holland formid able power. Her
army is very small, as must be the case
with a country whose population is about
5,o0O,0O0, mostly burglars of the most I'M
military taste. The Dutch navy is like
wise small and the carrying trade of Hol-
land is but the shadow of what it once
was.
The Hollanfers are stout-hearted race,
but in these days the battle is with the
strong, who have good organization.
That Holland may long continue to dream
beside her canals in peace is the wish of
her people, who, however, are rather dis
quieted at seeing the scepter pass into the
hands of young girl. They Erealize that
ambitious neighboring nations may as
pire to control Holland by dynastic ALI
ance and are naturally anxious that the
queens choice of husband shall not fall
upon prince whose kinsmen may be or
can make him the agent of scheme
subvert the independence of the kingdom.
Holland is a constitutional Kingdom.
where the people 1.-THE source of power,
but even in such q country the queen q
husband may exert an influence which the
laws are powerless to defeat.