Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1889 — WANT SWITZERLAND. [ARTICLE]

WANT SWITZERLAND.

Russia and Germany Covet the Little Republic. [London cable.] Considerable discussion has been aroused in the various European capitals lately by the belligerent tone assumed by the Russian and German press toward Switzerland on account of the liberty allowed by that ancient confederation to the Socialist and Nihilist refugees within its borders. Doubtless the diatribes almost daily hurled against the Swiss Government are intended chiefly to intimidate the Swiss into taking steps toward the expulsion of the hordes of plotters against royalty and society who have betaken themselves to Switzerland to escape long terms of imprisonment or to save their necks, but there is still less doubt that both the Czar and the Kaiser have more than once cast covetous eyes upon the territory comprisingthe little republic, and would gladly, if they dared, add its acres to their already enormoqs domains. In this view the current of discussion runs toward a careful calculation of the chances of sin attack upon Switzerland by one or even both of the powers named. England would certainly not permit such a move without a formidable pi otest, and France’s interests under her present form of government lie in the direction of preserving the integrity of the only really successful European government by the people, to say nothing of the other considerations which would influence her action in a matter in which Germany was deeply concerned. Even Austria and Italy, subservient as they are to Germany, would hardly countenance an invasion of Switzerland, and many Europeans bel eve that ihe-United States, though in no way interested in the internal affairs of Europe, would, fiom sentimental motives, interpose her veto on an act which would cause the overthrow of the Swiss confederation and the anuexa-r tion of its territory. Then, too, the people of Switzerland are to be considered in such a contingency, and not lightly. The peacefully inclined Swiss Government might possibly submit to a mild degree of coercion applied by the stronger powers for the purpose of compelling the expulsion of plotting socialists and anarchists, nihilists and the like rather than be drawn into armed conflict with its neighbors; but the memory of countless victories by Helvetians in years long gone by, ending in the recognition of Swiss independence the world over, is still fresh in the national mind. The hardy Swiss mountaineer is just as brave and unconquerable to-day as he was hundreds of years ago, and with the assistance which would surely be forthcoming at the outset of any attempt to subdue Switzerland that country could successfully resist any foe.