Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05
RELATIONS OF HOLLAND BELGIUM

VIuANU~UUuUlUM
rs sass on n ether frontiers the tariffs and
i y |
There remains only the difficulties Of . |
practical character. and IL Temps adds: |
'In admitting that It Is
<recucat possible to conc.liate the |
DiAacuIt,ss free trade tendencies of
Holland and the proba- |
ton tendencies Of Belgium. Il win be nee
essary still to unity the ascal system OF
the two countries; also put In accord all
the forms Of their economical relations.
The commission Ia working on that. since
tt has inscribed ON Its program the rsduc-
ton of postal and telegraph taxes. "the
uniftcation Of tariffs Of transportation, etc.
Who will not see that this work may not
be the work of 2 dayr' The essential
public Of the two countries In the effort
made in political circles. should that
precaution be neglected 1t will DO huild-
Ing IN the sand the most fragile Of sdi-
The visit of the Emperor of Germany
to Queen .stlhelmina Of Holland has been
the subject OF much discussion m pol,ti-
cal circles first. because Of Gerniany's
opposition to the proposed union of Hol-
land and Belgium and, second, because
the Holland government and people. as
manifested In the Holland press OF these
days, are greatly exercised over the ques-
ton of the succession to the throne.
Queen Wnhelmina. has no heir 70 the
crown and the fear is expressed that she
will have none. Under such conditions
at her death German princs would be
called to ascend the throne. The Holland
people view such contingency With posi-
NJ Won Houten. whose name is most
popular in Holland and who has been
several times minister has recently pub
ltshed an article which has created o
sensation throughout the country. He
says:
The right Of the people to choose their
form Of government after the extinction Of
the Orange dynasty Is
Important undeniable. We have
Continsencv. no preconceived ant
mostly against Ger
many. but we cannot accept as our chief
an unknown prince who could not count
upon the sympathies of the nation. The
people In the street say: Rather the re-
public than a German prince!
The very economical benefits Of this in
tercourse with the great empire on the
border inspires increased dtsquiet for this
very reason.
A Rhine region. counting 10000, 600 IN
habitants. sends its products to ports OF
the Netherlands and particularly those OF
Antwerp and Rotterdam. Cargo boats
communicating with railways carry to this
latter port not less than 100000 tons OF
German products. and II Rotterdam has
more than 10000 inhabitants. u 10
MO- dr1a ta great German
commerce. Amsterdam is likewise In
cluded in this industrial German move
ment, and this, too, notwithstanding the
creation Of Emden, German port at the
mouth of the River Ems. 4
The visit OF the kaiser to the Queen OF
Holland has redoubled the fears of the
Hollanders that 1t BODIES no good to them.
Apropos to the mention made OF the
reign Of Louis senaparte' King Of hol.
d'Historie Diplomatique 9 volume by the
MARQUIS de Canmont, La Force" who
renders justice to the great services rem
dered by Lebrun. who was Napoleon's
governor Of Holland from 1S1o-1s13.
Il
Shortly after Napoleon had named his
brother Louis as King of Holland, Louis
was attacked by q At of
Napoleon's neurasthenis. and while
from the palace to Toep,
litz. In Bohemia 1t was the 10th of>July.
1910, that the emperor received news Of
the flight Of his brother, and he sent at
once for the arch-treasurer. Lehrun:
"Ah. there you are. NJ. Arch-treasurer!
Your equipages are ready7 have use for
you in Holland. You know what has oe,
CURED. King Louis has left Holland and
abdicated in favor of his son. He had no
right to dispose of a crown which belongs
to me. / hold Holland, will govern 1t
myself. You will go there with tho title
e St Go at once" The areh-treas-
urer, a very modest man, was terrified at
the Idea Of the mission, and stammered
out that HE was ready. but that he ought
to say he was old and perhaps unit for
the man for me in Holland. Co." said the
emperor.
Aanche in 1888. and had been secretary
of the Chancellor Monpeou. then royal
censor of the property of the crown and
deputy to the states general, He had been
incarcerated 17e3-1794. and liberated after
the eth Thermider; he entered the council
of the ancients. After the 18th Brumaire,
to which he had contributed, he was des-
ignated by Bonaparte as third consul
The reorganization of the finances and
the creation Of the court of accounts was
IN q great measure the work of Lebrun.
Napoleon created him arch-treasurer.
Duke OF Plaisance and governor OF La
gurie in Italy.
Lebrun's situation was not bed of
roses. although he acquired the name Of
the good stakeholder" Tor
Lebrun's 1t was not easy to be
Rule. good when substitute for
Napoleon. who had said
that "a prince who won the qualification
Of 'Bonhomme,' or good fellow. might
boast of having failed In governing"
Things were not going well in Holland
industrially when Napoleon advised his
lieutenant general to turn his attention
to the development Of the industries
for which the Hollander was specially
Understanding and shiphuilding. THE
HoIIander," said Napoleon. ''is not Of
much value on land; he has water in his
legs" On July IL, 1911, he wrote Maret;
Under the government OF King Louis |
Holland was no assistance to mo: she |
furnishes me today 10000 sailors and
twelve ships In port"
Notwithstanding Napoleon's diplomatic |
order to his substitute, the Hollanders
remained recaicitrant to all efforts at |
assimilation with France. The animosity,
however, against France was never for Q |
moment directed against Lehrun. Who re-
manned for them 1.-The good stakeholder"