The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-06-16
PREDICTS TRIUMPH.
WHAT CRiSPl, THE STATESMAN,S SAYS
OF THE AMERICAN IDEA.


(Ry Thomas Burke Grant)
When Spain declared war against
the United States there was one
among the Statesmen Of Europe of
whose fervid appreciation OF America
thare cannot be the least doubt from
the very nature Of his utterance. That
was Sisaor Crispi, the man who has
checked those conditions in Italy that
have caused the decay and degeneracy
OF Spain.
Crispi said: The present war Is an
erCch- making event in the march of
human freedom; that the prophecy of
De Toqueville is being realized and the
institutions of America are revolu-
tiouizing those in Europe" OF course
to Americans there cannot be anything
essentially new in this statement
which Is nevertheless gratifying. We
know it is true in the present instance
hut the purblind tory of Europe hard
iy cares yet to admit it. The agrarian
noble of Germany who feels the scep-
tire of power passing from him to the
masses Of the German people, wants
to shut out our American produce. He
thus pays unconscious tribute to
America in this effort to keep a roof
upon the Schloss. The stolid reader
of the ponderous articles in the Lon
don Times may sneer at the Sunday
paper, or at the sensational journalism
Of America, but under the very shad-
ow of St. Paul's these prevailing feat
ures Of America are making headway
and are gradually converting into back
numbers the once leading journals of
London. Even the sacred precincts of
the peerage are being invaded, and the
British duchesses will soon have to
form a combination in order to exclude
the nervy, bouncing, magnetic Ameri-
can girl, who is never more charming
than when she dashes down every mil
dewed banner that snobbery and self
efficiency have fenced around fashion,
able exclusiveness.
Yes. Crispi is right, we are for bet
ter or worse revolutionizing Europe,
and no power on earth can stop the
process. To do so is our dirinest des-
tiny. 1t was in order that We should
DO this that the all-wise Creator of
the world placed US in the middle
with the civilization of Europe 10 the
East Of Us. and that Of the Orient 10
The West, our arms like those oi alex
auder extending into both. America
Lts only to.be true to herself and to
1hG pTecepts of the fathers of the Re-
public, in order to bring thrones and
crowns, and musty constitutions cruIn-
bling to her feet. It is greatly to Sig
nor Crispi's credit that he has discov-
cred and what is more that he has
conceded to us SO manifest destiny.
The circumstance clearly shows that
the italian statesman Is keeping his
observation eye in good order, and
that he has thoroughly OWNED the
tread OF events.
And on the occasion Of the first for
eign war that the United States has
had in eighty-six years, any such fore
cast cannot but be regarded as highly
hattering to all Americans. 1t Is par
ticularly so from a man like Crispi,
whose career is an inspiration and
who takes high ranks, not so much as
an Italian dictator, but son of
"Those men whose hearts were torches
For Freedoms quenchless fire."
AS prophet Crispi has not only the
rare distinction of being honored In
his own country and in his own time
but his prophetic forecasts have in
variably been realized. Many years
ago when Italy was under the Joint
tutelage of Austria and France, when
her internal divisions were series of
petty duchies like Parma, Modeua and
Tuscany, when the notorious Bomba
was ruling at Naples, when Mazzini
was a political pamphleteer starving
on Fulham Road in London and Carl
baldi was a guerrilla chief at Caprera;
and when all that was rich and right
eous and respectable in the world
fzowned upon the Italian patriots and
their cause, this man who to-day pre-
diets the proud destiny of America.
then also forecasted a new and United
italy. He lived too to place the cap
stone on Q noble idea through Italy
taking her place as an integer in the
Great Triple Alliance.
He has driven out the banditti and
foiled every pest against the unity of
his native country that was nursed by
Princes at their leisure. When others
were blind Crispi was wide awake and
far seeing. When Mazzini WAS appeal
ing to Charles Albert in the pathas!c
words. Size. unite us" CTspi saw
that union was impossible without a
national spirit to sustain it. He
therefore set about creating the na-
tional spirit by going from town to
town as a tramp editor turning up
with a paper il Milan, o. IN Malta, or
Palermo; making a most scsnty liv-
ing as writer or delivering a lecture
on political discourse to all within
sound OF his voice. The great world
did not then as now heed what Crispi
said, but Crispi's accuracy and judg-
nent and unwaverlng self confidence
were then manifest features of the
character of the man who was preach