The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-02-01

Triple Alliance. For the rest, we may
 contemplate the further development Of
 affairs with all the greater tranquility
 because the situation to-day is essen-
 italy different from that of the year
 1879, when Prince Bismarck laid down with Count Andrassy in the Austro- i German treaty the basis of the Triple
 Alliance treaty. At that time we were
 only conducting European policy
 Our combinations did not go beyond the
 basin of the Medit erranean. To-day a
 policy embraces all the great Powers.
 and the whole globe. I consider that
 since history began there has probably
 never been an epoch when so many
 mighty empires simultaneously existed.
 This gives rise to what is, if I may so
 express myself, a system of counter
 balances which naturally even without
 special arrangement, exercises an infiu- ence in favor of the preservation of the peace of the world. For there is no Power which, if it thought of Waging
 war in Europe in one direction, would not have to reflect: What will happen in the meantime behind my back?' For it is impossible to keep ones eye upon every quarter. In the year 1879 our great statesman Prince Bismarck and our great soldier Count Moltke were agreed that Germany must prepare to face the danger-the perhaps imminent danger-of great European war. To- day the situation is less strained. There are various reasons. To begin with, it has had a decidedly reassuring af- feet that for thirty years the policy of i Germany has been steadily pacific. As recently as two decades ago the opinion was pretty general that the German empire, which had been welded togeth- CT in great wars, would pursue a war like policy such as the Napoleonic em- pire had twice pursued. In this suspic- ion lay certain danger, inasmuch as those of our opponents who were ire concilable could employ the argument, and doubtless now and then did em- ploy tiff we do not seize moment that suits us to attack the German em- pire, we expose ourselves to the danger that it will fall upon us at a moment that suits itself This argument can no longer be employed, for during the last thirty years we have not lacked the opportunity of waging a war on more or less advantageo terms, and i'll very good company too. If any one were to speak to- day of aggressive and bellicose intentions on the part of the German empire or the German emperor, slan- der of that kind would at once fall to the ground. Every one who is occupied with politics knows that we are abso- lutely pacific.
 Moreover the object of the policy of our day-the objects of Weltpolitik- extend to regions and objects which are far distant from the confines of Ger many. would mention in this connee- ton, for example, the north coast of Africa, Persia and East Asia. If therefore, the Triple Alliance is for us no longer an absolute necessity, it still remains in the highest degree valuable as an augmented guarantee of peace, and of the status quo, quite apart from the fact that it is a very useful liga- ment for uniting states which, by their geographical situation and their histori- cal traditions, are bound to remain good neighbors. As for us--and with this I will conclude--we must continue to keep Germany so strong that, as our friendship at present is valuable for every one, our hostility can be matter of indifference to none. "-Chancellor | Won Bulow in German Reichstag.