The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-01

pose fresh war burdens upon her peo-
| pie.
| Both England and Germany have the
| deepest cause for perturbation in the
prospect that Italy will shortly with
| draw from the Triple Alliance. and, for
saking Germany and Austria, ally her
self with France and Russia. The
Triple Alliance. as Is generally known,
| has been a milestone around the neck
| of Italy for years. 1t has compelled her
to maintain an armament greatly out
of proportion to her resources. The
| consequence is that the Italian people
| are taxed to the limit OF endurance, and
there is universal suffering and dis
content among the lower classes, while
the national treasury year by year
| slips into deeper water. Formerly there
were compensations in part. in the form
of tariff concessions, which permitted
| the importation Of many Italian prod
ucts-especially into Austria-on the
free list, or under a very low rate of
duty. Nearly all these benefits have
been Cancelled, while of late France
has been Offering the most liberal in
ducements to Italian commerce.
The reign OF Victor Emanuel II, at
its very beginning is marked by de-
cided tendency to depart from the ira
ditions and policy Of the past; and the
published views of Count Zanardelli,
the new Italian Premier, leave no doubt
that desertion of the Triple Alliance is
intended to be one of the changes.
Should Italy finally act upon that
apparent intention. and take advantage
of the approaching termination Of the
treaties of alliance, to dissolve the old
compact it is obvious that the stability
of the balance of power in Europe
would be at once and rudely shaken.
Italy. in alliance with France and Rus
STA, would become a much more i'm
portant factor in the worlds politics
than she is under present conditions
AS a Mediterranean naval State, favor
able to the designs of Russia in Tur-
key, and Of France in Egypt and
Morocco, italy would step into a posi-
ton OF respect and dignity which is
not now hers. The Encouragement
would leave Germany without the pos
sibility of first class alliances save with
England and Austria, and the advan-
tage. at least for some time to come,
would be distinctly on the FrenchItal-
ian Russian side. England, as we have
seen, is preoccupied and practically
crippled. while in Austria ii is believed
that the status quo can only be main
tanned during the lifetime Of the aged
Franz Josef. Upon his death the Aus
tro- Hungarian Empire seems destined
to fall in pieces.
With such revolutionary changes i'm
minent, il is not surprising that the |
Western Powers should act with the
greatest caution and self-repression;
nor that Russia should be correspond |
ingly independent and determined to
pursue her policy and course Of Asiatic |
conquest. l. is even safe to assume |
that the situation as viewed from Lon
don and Berlin is grave enough to |
cause the British and German Govern |
ments to exert the strongest pressure |
upon Japan in order to keep that Power |
from precipiia;ing war, the cOnse-
quences of which could not be meas |
ured.
Reviewing all the considerations we !
have presented, it would appear pea. ..eeis,.i,-
ahi1 20 conclude that. in all human
proximity. the Manchurian Conyen-
ZION will be signed today or tomorrow.
and that, unless Japan breaks all
bounds, the partition of China will be-
come fixed fact before the end of the
week