Show Belgium and Holland It is interesting to turn from the great warlike powers of Europe racing rac-ing with each other in their preparations prepara-tions for the fight to cometo the 1 small neutral welltodo and happy powers of Switzerland Belgium and Holland perilously near their warlike neighbors and above all things anxious anx-ious to live in peace and quiet These small neutral states are very pleasant to look upon They are all eminently prosperous well governed and enjoying perfect freedom under free and stable institutions Probably nowhere out of our own country is I there so much political freedom and individual happiness as there is in them and every wellwisher of the human hu-man race must hope that they may long continue In undisturbed possession possess-ion of the blessings which they enjoy But can we venture to anticipate this with any certainty I Will it not prove an almost irresistible irresis-tible temptation to France some day I to console herself for losses on her eastern frontier by annexing the I Frenchspeaking rich and industrious Belgians and securing the great fortresses I fort-resses of Antwerp Maestrich and Liege Will Germany not feel that her possession pos-session of the valley of the Rhine can 1 never be complete and her hopes of p one day becoming a great naval power pow-er realized until she has put her iron i hand on the wealthy commercial and I naval state of Holland which will bring her ships colonies and commerce I com-merce Blackwoods Magazine I |