The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-09-17
THE COMING STRUGGLE
MAKES GENERAL DISARMAMENT PRkC-
TlCALLY IMPOSSIBLE
The Assassination of the Empress OF
Austria May Cause Grave Troubles
France and England May Soon Come
to Crash

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS VI tuo SOh'"iJ =
closing in universal peace, with the
nations joining in approval of the !
czar's proposition Of disarmament, Eu-
rope has not been for years so close to
the verge of general hostilities.
War, discord, death and crime seem
to have suddenly burst forth in all
parts Of the globe. The assassination
os the empress of Austria is liable to
have far-reaching effect, while the sit
uations in Crete and Africa have as
sumed such critical aspects that all
manner of gloomy predictions are
II ade.
Taking up Austria's case first, the
old emperor, Francis Joseph, is
broken-dow man; his son was muir
dered in q criminal intrigue, and his
country is fast going to pieces. Now
his wife, charming, lovely woman, is
assassinated without reason. Several
times the emperor has been on the
point of Indicating, and this last blow
may be his end.
Everywhere it has been said for
years that he would be the last en-
peror of the Austro-Hungarian empire,
for at his death, OR retirement, the fed
Grafton would surely dissolve.
What international complications
such ACKNOWLEDGMENT may cause no
one can foretell. It undoubtedly,
sooner or later, would bring bloody
strife between two or more greedy,
| avaricious powers, as we'll as interna-
, tional discord between various small
: countries forming the empire, which
have never affiliated.
l Little Crete nearly involved Europe
in hostilities last year, and now again
is burning like an incendiary's torch.
: The admiral of the powers sent an
9 ultimatum to the Turkish governor,
l giving but few hours for the disarm-
y ament of everybody on the island, in
!, Guiding even the Turkish regulars.
u What may result from this is beyond
! even the most diplomatic guessing 1t
- is simply a case of hoping for the best
~ and fearing the worst.
70 The most aerious situation has eud'
u denly developed in Africa, where the
British and Egyptian troops have VOL
ly such tremendous victory over the
ct Dervishes.
IS Even while the full details Of the
SO battle are not get in, comes the new
10 of q more critical outlook than before
ic the fall of Omdurman. 1t is nothing
ty less than the possibility of a contllc
between England and France In tn
heart of Africa.
. The war correspondents had JUS
time to wire home that the news ha
~ reached Khartoum of the presence 0
Major Marchand of the French arm
with 1000 troops at Fashoda, whe
IN Gen. Kitchener ordered every CORE
ng spondent back to Cairo Immediately
ne Some begged to be allowed to plung
Of into Central Africa at their own rist
Others tried in every way to obtal
permission to remain in some conne'
It's ton or o means of communication
re- Rut the Sirdar was obdurate. All to
lg. correspondents were herded togetht
ITS on a steamer and started back
Ply Cairo None will be allowed to e.
os. cane until the city is reached, nor
los send apy news of the impending con
' VOL plications. ..: i,
the next two or three weeks Will !
my unknown, save such information as tt
OBJ sirdar chooses to send to the BrltlE
ne, government. The situation is exact
viii The same as in America ct the time
at the French and Indian wars. Englal
ul- seeks to extend her chain of posts oil
uld colonies north and south through Il
uld entire length of Africa, from Cairo
ain Capetown. France is extending Il
lines east and west across Africa, fro
tor- the Congo to the east coast, just
as she tried to close in on the Engll
ing posts in America.
ong warnings have already been e
are changed between the two Cover
orts ments, and it looks now as if tho v
adj tor;ous Sirdar intended to advance
to vond Khartoum and wipe out t
'i'0 French.
as Fashoda is about 400 miles up t
the Nile from Khartoum, just such str
can eeical point as was old Fort L
the onesne, English gunboats have
ready started up the river, ostensll
pursuing the Khalifa. Major Mare
and's troops are practically all natly
Su- we'll armed. Under some French o
ecis- GERS they advanced up the Congo q
osed have now reached the Nile.
FL. Then there is quarreling over
with Dunder in China, and all this. W
aria the Spanish war just over, Is Eurol
e of answer to the proposition OF univel
has nnaoe
lged
Gen, Gordon Declines.