Show THE POLITICS OF NATIONS socialism is in the air of germany and the young emperor has not escaped the contagion of his surroundings though perhaps he be would be the last to acknowledge it it is quite natural however that the head of a paternal system of government should make the proposition he be has for an international convention on the laboi question but whatever may be his object and the great organs of opinion in error europe have readily conceded the benevolence ene of his intentions there can be little doubt of the magnitude and pressing importance of the question he proposes for solution german legislation of late years yean has been tending towards state socialism while the popular instincts and prejudices of other peoples are op M p posed sed to it the true ideal of government is one that contemplates the administration of justice only leaving all subjects free to pursue their own happiness it way may not be attainable in the present stage of human development but it should be the ultimate object of all politics france seems to have an unlimited supply of pretenders of all sorts to lier her government boulanger has scarcely subsided when the you young rg duke of orleans turns up in par paris is w ith the alleged intent of perpetrating a coup d betat it to is not aston ashing that such pretenders should hc be constantly cro cropping koping up for the history of france fance since the revolution is little else than a series ot of catastrophes in which adventurers of many kinds rose to the highest positions what has o occurred so often may occur again and this idea encourages those who faucy fancy they know better than the people of france how france should be governed if the young man who has just indulged iu political theatricals before his countrymen country mea was really in earnest he chose an unpropitious moment for the display never since its establishment on tie ruins of the second empire has hae the republic been more stable or popular than at present the recent elections were a solid proof of this yet from his connections and the antecedents of his family it is quite possible that he has been put forward to make his debut so to speak before ther people of france who otherwise would scarcely be aware of his existence he is now a personage of some importance and takes rank with the others who have claims on the throne since louis napoleon appeared with his tame eagle to frighten the geese that guard the capitol there has been nothing to equal this exploit there is of course a large party of royalists roy alises in france but they are increasingly outnumbered by the republicans during recent years radical influx ances have steadily advanced under the enlarged franchise and the clergy have como come at last to accept the situation tion and make the best of it A sort of truce has been established between church and state although as in late electious elections some of the clergy defied the proclamation against their interference in politics these conditions show how bow ill timed was the duke of orleans appearance in paris and what little chance there is of a reaction nevertheless in prance france more than elsewhere it is toe the unexpected that to is always haT happening pening the imperial ministerial pro gramme ramme for the session as foresha owed dowed in the speech from the throne shows the change of policy in regard to I 1 ireland speeches of ministers during the recess intimated an Intent intention iou of dealing with the land question and also a modified system of local government both measures will be considered as indicating a willingness on the part of the conservative government to meet the wishes of the moderate party in ireland and do something towards quieting a troublesome parliamentary lia question the legislation promised for scotland is also prepared with the evident evlie nt intention of counteracting the liberal agitation in that kingdom for reforms of administration but the most radical part of the new policy to h the ministry is 16 apparently committed is that in reference to england the question of land transfers is sur bounded by extraordinary difficulties cul ties though reforms in the law have been long discussed this is the first time a conservative government has had the courage to propose them for a practical test the influence of the conservative democrats brats and sand the therise ase of the labor party is to be noted in the proposals to legislate late regarding the liability of employers pl the dwellings of the working people and also with reference ferenee re to savings banks altogether the pro gramme is a courageous one and shows a natural desire to deal with a class of questions that have been coming more and more to the front of late years chepan the pan american congress appears likely to come to a more disastrous conclusion than was anticipated some months ago when its inherent incongruities were pointed out by the press the endless jealousies of the south and central american republics have existed from their begin beginning and are not like ly to be smothered over or eradicated by a congress of this kind if after four mouths months session the net result has been nothing but talk it is about time the delegates discovered what appeals to be the fact that there Js is no common ground of agreement among them the unseemly row reported in late dispatches is perfectly in keeping with the character and antecedents of the states represented they never could agree on anything anti and often went to war with each other on the most flimsy pretexts it was a grand idea of mr blaines Blai nesto to bring them together with a view to vie establishment of friendly commercial relations but it seems they have not yet reached a point of development where its realization is possible A bill is before ta the ie senate at washington which contains very sweep ing clauses dealing with immigrants among amoda other things it provides that every foreign subject going to the united states shall ahli obtain the per mission of and be identa identified fled by his own government such permission and in shall be evidenced by a certificate in the english language by the government of which the immigrant is 18 a subject it will also contain the name and description of the person with his or her signature also the family or tribal name title rank sex age height and all physical peculiarities former and present occupation etc the e hill bill further provides that the certificate shall be by a diplomatic or consular representative of the united states at the place from which the intending immigrant is about to depart should this bill become law it would ren render derall all extradition treaties unnecessary but the extraordinary thing about it is that it practically surrenders to foreign governments the sovereign right of the united states to grant asylum to political exiles in england this right has always been jealously guarded in fact it is the boast of englishmen that their country is the refuge and safe asylum of exiles the same boast has been made for the united states and with good reason till now the bill is probably intended to keep out anarchists and others of that sort but it goes too far it shows however that the am american republic is begian beginning ing to reel fed the pressure of undesirable tion and the necessity of checking it there is a report about the discovery of a powerful explosive secreted for presumed purposes of destruction in the house 0 of representatives senta tives at t washington it may be timely to assure the public that there Is ia really realia but little cause for apprehension with regard to the alleged volcanic power of modern explosives their nature and effects are now pretty well understood apart from their employment in engineering and military operations the question which most concerns us is whether the bremen tremendous and compressed agencies of destruction st which science has already evolved are likely to triumph over the defensive resources of civilization mr gladstone vaguely invoked those resources upon them the russian emperor most depe depend fid and on them alike in france in the united states and in every other country law and order must appeal in the last resort to furnish weapons against the dark spirit of anarchy all over the world no graver question was ever propounded it is 18 therefore reassuring to learn from tho the best scientific authorities that the hideous family of nitro carbons presents no elements nf f fresh dan danger r to society beyond those with which our predecessors have been familiar for centuries society has always defended itself in the past successfully against dangerous men MY an and may hope to defend itself against them in the future prof dr virchow the great erman philosopher whose authority to speak on this subject is unquestionable tio deprecates the thel vague statements that have been made from time to time to induce the belief that there are stronger explosives than nitroglycerine nitro glycerine and preparations of it and that the men who have been guilty or may contemplate crime by use of explosives are iu in possession of more powerful afu agents than auy any known to chemists such is not the ease case nitro gla gl cerine and its preparations form the strongest explosives plo yet known the strongest of these is blasting gelatine it is difficult to pr prepare elare and cannot be made by unskilled persons dr virchow also shows that it would be impossible isible for anarchists to do more than merely local damage and that any attempt to destroy public buildings must fall fail they cannot he says by any means lay a whole city in ruins not even a street they may injure special buildings but that is the most they can do DB ED AxER AMERICAN icAx feb 27 1890 |