Year: 1878

sufficient cause. LII the myth makers
shall ever be tempted to account on
that theory for the condition OF Europe
as it appears in these days what scores OF
giants they will be compelled to crowd
under the politics of that restless conti-
nent In not one country is there even
truce of parties in most there stand III at
titudes of angry defiance forces far more
ferocious than mere parties ever are, while
in some the horizon is darkcned with dan
gers all the worse because it is rs yet only
recognized that they are dangers and it IS
not clear how they are to be fought Ger
many, Austria, Russia, England, France,
Italy and Turkey all the great Powers, as
defined by the Berlin Congress have char
acteristic troubles on hand and the present
generation has not seen national tranquility
so universally disturbed.


Here is tho great German Empire with its
capital III a state of siege-Berlin compelled
to resort for the security Of sovereign's life
to that suspension Of all ordinary laws upon
which Paris was forced for certain time rs
tae consequence Of the decentralization of a
bloody and unsuccessful war Bad govern
ment, taxes. the military Juggernaut, OPP
press the German people till they be-
come as barbarous Us the iron heel that
treads them down. Germany overcamc
France at the expense of military pressure
on her own people that produced the social
revolt, and in that she has on her hands
q more formidable foe than France was,
and she has no other inspiration in dealing
with this trouble than an increase OF those
repressive laws that were one of the sources
of the evil. Under the most arbitrary sys-
TEN in Europe-for even in Russia there is
an opinion that limits the authority which
is formally absolute; under system where
the citizen who has offended the govern
ment is completely at its mercy, as the Won
Arnim case plainly showed-the govern
ment has no imagination of q means to
deal with discomfort save a demand that
the little formal limits to its authority
which exist shall be set aside. With these
formal limits set aside it comes boldly
down on the known socialists and drives
them out. 1t purges the country Of those
explosive spirits who blurt out their
thoughts and make themselves known.
But these are never the dangerous fellows,
and those in whose minds the fire of this
savage dissatisfaction shoulders are not
driven out.


Germany remained a divided country
through all the ages when great monarchies
grew in other European lands through the
possession by the people of that very spirit
with which the powers at Berlin are now in
conflict. In France, in Spain, in England,
in Russia even the resistance Of principali-
ties, dukedoms and minor kingdoms was
overcome and a monarchical unity arose on
the ruins Of local liberties in all those
countries. bat never in Germany. Dukes,
| grand dukes, princes, electors and kings
| greater or smaller have been the staple Of
German history always down to the time
we live in and before the war Of 1866 the
smallest Of the dukes, with only revenues
enough to maintain one regiment of in
fantry, was as much a sovereign as the
Hohenzollern. 1t was in the genius of the
race that it should be so. Local sover-
eighty, local tyranny even the people ac-
cepted. but they repelled successfully all
domination. 1t made them the victims Of
foreign foes, but preserved them from
national oppressor; and the foreign
foe is temporary, the other
permanent, evil. But the fancies Of the
French Revolution filled the young Ger
mans of that age with vague dreams Of q
common nationality and with the aspira-
ton of a united and supreme Germany.
Those dreams cleared the way for Bismarck
and made the present Empire, which, by
comparison with the old one, is what the
United States is under its present constitu-
ton compared to what it was under the
original articles Of confederation. Against
the pressure of that imperial system the
nature of the people revolts now. Social
istic troubles are the exciting cause. The
real evil is the revolt of the people against
system in conflict with all their ideas, and
q struggle must ensue-a struggle in which
the people must be ruthlessly put down or
through which they will reduce the gov
ernment to liberal constitutional ma
chinery-a constitutional monarchy in
name, republic in fact. like England. 1t
will be n conflict analogous to that OF 1916
in Eng lish history.


Germany is therefore, perhaps, face to
face with the most portentous trouble that
menaces any government in Europe, de-
spite the triangular difficulty that SO chron-
icaly disturbs the relations between
Russia, England and Turkey. Since May,
1876, the English government has staggered
through Europe. roaring out its purpose to
make itself felt in Continental politics, and
finally it has fought the Ameer of Cabul. If
one considers the grandiose style in which
the Prime Minister spoke of Englands war;
like intentions some two years since by
comparison with its recent warlilio acts it
will be difficult not 10 agree with the Mar
nnis of HARRINGTON TINT the so-cnlled .ssnir-