| Show CURRENT TOPICS IN EUROPE L The correspondence of John Lathrop rop Motley formerly United States Minister at Vienna and sub sub- subsequently subsequently subsequently at London has lately been translated into German or at atM least that portion which refers to continental M matters Perhaps the portion of the work that will win be read with the greatest interest is his cor cor- correspondence correspondence correspondence with Prince Bismarck In their youthful days Motley and Bismarck had studied together at Gottingen and Berlin and for some sometime sometime sometime time they Ii lived ved to together in the same house in the in Berlin There it would seem they not only studied but likewise talked drank and sang Dg together One song of Motleys Motley's Bismarck never forgot Iu In I u good old colony times when we were roguish chaps and he quoted in his great speech in the Reichstag in 1888 The following is an extract from a letter written by Bismar Bismarck k in i n 1864 to Motley at that time United States minister to Vienna The letter letteri letteris letteris letteris i is written in English but the Ger Ger- GerI German German I man cro crops 8 out in one or two singular phrases Jack my Where dear dear are you and what do you do that you never write a word to me I Iam Iam Iam am working from morn till night like a nig niger er and you have nothing to do at all You might as well tip me a line as sit looking at your feet fett tilted against the wall It happens to me that during five days of the week I do not find a quarter of an hour for a walk but you lazy old chap what keeps you from thinking of your old friend When just go- go going going go going ing to bed my eye met yours in your portrait and I curtailed the sweet restorer sleep in order to re- re remind remind re remind mind you of Auld Lang Syne Why do you never come to Berlin My wife and I would be so happy I to see you vou once more in this sullen life Do not forget an old friend Sei so 80 gut und and komm oder VON Haunted by pleasant memories Motley answered his letter but did not go to Berlin BerUn until some time later Perhaps he thought that a journey to Berlin at that particular moment would have been misunderstood misunderstood stood by the Austrian government The corre correspondence however be- be between between be between tween the two continued with great vigor In one of these letters while grave gran political events were on the tapis It tt seems rather strange to hear Bismarck saying that he hates poli poli- polities politics politics tics ties He writes to Motley Motley- Motley You You have given me great pleas pleas- pleasure pleasure ure with your letter an and I shall be bevery bevery bevery very grateful to you if you will keep your promise to write oftener and longer I hate politics but as you say truly like the tl-e grocer hating figs I am none the less obliged to keep my thoughts incessantly occupied pied with those figs Even at this mo mo- moment moment moment ment while I I am writing my ears are full of it Here I sit in the I House of Big Phrases Reichstag I and while excited politicians sCold each other with the greatest vehemence vehemence vehemence mence I take the time at leisure and write you of my welfare Isay I say my dear Motley your handwriting is like crows feet but still legible Your faithful friend V VON ON In 1872 visited Bismarck at and gives a summary of their conversation there Bismarck says that when younger he thought himself a clever fellow fellow but later years had taught him that nobody was really powerful or great A Aman Aman Aman man in his situation he said ie is obliged ll l to 4 decide tA promptly 1 t If he be i guesses right all the world says what sagacity what prophetic power if he guesses wrong all the theold theold theold old are ready to beat him with broomsticks As this work throws a flood of light ou on the chit chief f political actors of twenty years ago it forms a decidedly decidedly decidedly edly interesting topic in Europ Europ- European European European ean conversation The account of the defeat of Kino Kino- John of Abyssinia and his bis subsequent subsequent quent death also the establishment of a large Italian colony in the sa- sa salubrious salubrious sa salubrious mountain region of East East- Eastern Eastern Eastern ern Africa are facts well known King Menelek the successor of King John seems to be a wise and ambitious prince and his present visit to Italy will wUl doubtless have im- im important important im important results in reI relation ati 0 1 to East African affairs Following the time time- time honored honored tom custom which has prevailed in Oriental countries since the time when Jacob went forth to meet Esau King Menelek has sent nt a re- re remarkable remarkable re remarkable present to King Humbert of Italy the equal of which can scarcely be read of except In the Arabian Nights Entertainments Besides es a live elephant three superb Arabian horses ten Abyssinian mules with small ears a large num num- number number ber her of f beautiful gazelles and sixty sixty- sixty one one elephants tusks valued at more than there are other pre pre- presents presents of great alue contained In sixty great boxes an and packages One of these contains a crown of mas mas- massive massive massive sive gold old others contain vestments of silk embroidered with gold and encrusted with precious precious stones per per- perfumes perfumes perfumes fumes etc A Another nother important event eveRt is taking place in Northern Italy Every Sunday now for more than a month have the been celebrating celebrating celebrating ing the centennial bi-centennial of their free free- freedom freedom dom from persecution and peaceable peaceable- return to their native land There is something indescribably charming i festivals val beneath the grand old chestnut trees OB on the hm hillsides ides There is something Impressive impressive im- im in the fact that Louis XIV their old persecutor with all his vast vast- vast power power and numerous descendants has passed away The grand ola old palace of St Cloud where once he resided i in n more than imperial splendor after having been repeat repeat- repeated repeatedly repeatedly ed edly ly pillaged was at length de- de destroyed de destroyed stroye by the fury of a French rench mob The powerful royal family to which Louis belonged instead of increasing has gradually diminish d until at length the last one in the the person of the Due Duc de Chambord has lately expired On the other hand the dukes s of Savoy who protected the have risen higher and higher until at length one of their descendants sits sitson sitson sitson on the throne of United Unite Italy and andI under him the enjoy a I toleration equal to that of England herself These Wal- Wal Wal festivals have been vis- vis J r-o r by hundreds s aye thousands of people from various parts of Europe and some even from far away America Among others the ven ven- venerable venerable erable Sir Henry Layard was pres pres- present present present ent and as he looked upon the mul mul- multitude multitude of these simple hearted simple mountaineers listened to the fervid eloquence of their preachers or gazed upon the grand old snow clad snow peaks doubtful ks which surround these valleys is ft-is it is doubtful if he had ever seen In his excavations at Nineveh any any- anything anything anything I thing more interesting or impressive Impressive sive It is quite impossible to under under- understand understand understand stand why certain Italian news news- newspapers newspapers papers should seize the prEsent moment for declaring that the Pope PoJ t has finally resolved to transfer his residence from Rome Borne to A Avignon in France If it was for the f purpose public of eliciting French pub pub- I lic lic opinion on th the subject the ruse has been successful Even the I most moat Catholic of French newspapers recommended the Pope not to think of transferring the Papacy to A Avig- Avig Avig vig- vig I- I advised him to stay or if he must leave that city to keep awa away from France The Tri Tri- Tribuna Tri Tri-buna buna una di Roma Homa says The Pope has decided to leave Rome next Feb Feb- February February r ary and returning to the traditions traditions or of 1377 his new residence will willbe willbe be A Avignon vignon which city will wiH again become the C capital of Catholicism It is true that in the event of war between France and Italy the place of residence for th the Pope is not Rome but but can it be A vignon A French contemporary replies France cannot afford to play Don Quixote Frances France is no longer the eldest daughter of the Church We have troubles enough at home with with- without without without out an additional trouble The only country that can give the Pope an asylum is a neutral country Per Per- Perhaps haps England will allow the Pope to settle at Malta Malta but can the Pope accept the hospitality of a heretic I IZ nation There is the Catholic coun coun- country country country try Austria perhaps she will give the Pope an asylum Strange po noone one in Italy suggests this alternative alternative t tive Would it be dangerous to the triple alliance of Germany Aus Aus- Austria Austria Austria tria Italy and Let reflective ones answer the question K I t am an agnostic remarked a young man in a proud and tone of voice And dignified an agnostic is what inquired an alJ elderly gentleman An agnostic replied the smart youth in a man man- manner manner ner full of pity for the old mans man's r Ignorance an agnostic ah agnostic is agnostic ah is is aha aha ah a a fellow dont don't you know who who- who isn't ah-isn't isn't ah-isn't ah isn't sure of anything I IBee see I see e was the old man mans man's s re reply re- re reply ply but how does It come that you are sure you are an agnostic k politics Just so ao in regard to French poll poll- tics The English the German and the Italian press prese have been busy t discussing the probabilities of the f French elections which took place on Sunday the of September The result shows that the journals were not suro sure of anything In spite ot of all the jarring elements of oC Roy Roy- Royalists Royalists Imperialists and the Republic of France may well be congratulated that a signal vic vic vic- it I n tory has been achieved Up to the present time five hundred and sixty I returns have come to hand leaving only sixteen to be accounted forand of these the ten from the colonies may be confidently counted on as swelling the Republican majority So far as known the actually elected eJected deputies comprise too hundred and four twenty four Republicans six eighty eighty who favor the interest of the Comte i Bonapart de e Paris one fifty-one for the I Bonapart-I Bonapart- Bonapart and two twenty-two who favor the interest of the le Ie brav bran General Boulanger The results are there there- therefore therefore fore not at all favorable to the knight of the white plume and the black charger It requires the vic vic- vici victories victories vic victories i tories of Arcola Lodi and the campaign of Egypt te to make the coup of the Bru Bru- Brumaire maire Bru-maire maire possible and place the first Napoleon as the first consul of France It was s scarcely arcely to be ex expected that the mere or organization of the army however skilful that may have been done and a promenade on the Boulevards of Paris would be able to give a similar position to the polite and affable Boulanger France Prance has decisively pronounced for the time against any revival of that element that personal element one man power which has so 80 often played an important part in her politics The lost provinces of Alsace and Lorraine have not been recovered nor has the French flag been carried in victory across the Rhine U Until ntH something is done to cause France to for et her ber she will not be in much dan dan- danger danger dan danger ger from military ad adventurers The defeat of M Jules Ferry re- re removes re removes moves from French political life perhaps for ever the ablest leader of French republicanism He sought to gain renown by extending French power in the East but the failure of the Tonquin expedition I C brought about the downfall of his ministry and his opposition to the Jesuits seems to ha have ve told against him in the late elections M Floquet the antagonist of Bou Bou- Boulanger Boulanger Boulanger langer has also been placed on the retired list and M Clemenceau is likewise unsuccessful It is evident that France is learning to trust the good sense of her moderate men and not run so much after gilded glIded oratory This fact argues much for the future of the Republic bUc A number of Italian statesmen have been visiting the Exhibition lately and have been received with marked distinction by the Paris municipal C council During the in ht in- in interview interview th there re was an exchange of pretty speeches and much was said about international fraternity The Hungarian deputation also manifested manifested mani- mani tested great sympathy for France and so 80 have the Bulgari Bulgari- Bulgarians Bulgarians Bulgarians ans etc who form the fragments of the once mighty Servian empire A prominent French Journal how how- however however however ever advises France rance not to build too much on f foreign reign sympathy seeing that all the monarchies are in reality adverse to tl the Republic The Russian Journals lately have been devoting considerable space to German and Austrian affairs and urging the discontinuance of of the Austrian German Austrian alliance promis promis- l ing ng that in such a case there would be no cause for an alliance between Russia and France As nothing Js e published in Russia except by order it is evidently a hint as to what Germany may expect if she persists per it Ir the triple alliance For the tLe past f few w weeks one of of the principal topics English conversation has bee been the great strike of the thed d doCk laborers of London The victor victor to of the laborers has been complete comp enough to satisfy satisfy all except 1 thore e who wished triumph without compromise But the effects of the strike will remain for some time timeto tim W to come come The idle shipping inthe in the f nearl near Ys a of London for great port Ul J Wl At e the month and the valuable time of laborers that went to waste there among the their causing great suffering families ewin are only two of the i 1 ew e in the vast bill of expenses of oft tons t fact that thousands of Christmas goods destined for v Aus- Aus h have VeO w customers will now be bybe sent by steamer Instead ot of by Y sailing vessel and consequentlY at a aa a is a loss to London merchants other item which should pot not be for for- forgotten Or is S lose gotten But the most serious the 8 the fact that much of colonial and foreign trade 14 been transferred to other notably tho those of Liverpool an Bristol There are tho- tho tho-e tho even ar r who declare that London wil ne fully overcome the shock she hasted has re- re received Few incidents have c IA such a reaching far-reaching I I ILL LL l tf Thames battle on the banks of the It has actually created even greater tIel- tIel and ana excitement in Sydney is an This w bourne than in London at Interests t of the interesting proof country stake take between the mother for and the colonies and gives food concerned reflection to those who are concern in the prospect of Imperial Federa- Federa Federation F tion dock j But the story of the London when altogether laborers is outdone the we take into consideration of complaint of the plate layers complaint the Treat Great Western Railway of pub Bog Bog- Enga lo land What will the think when they read the mortal morial of the poor plate plate plate-Is tr I which has Just been Is 10 Isan to the directors The following devoid extract not altogether an demand interest We respectfullY respectful be |
