By the tragic end of two martyrs, God has brought face to face those who are destined to be the champions of good and of evil respectively in these last years of the century.

The German Emperor goes to Russia to say to the Tzar, “Divide with me the kingdoms of the earth, always on condition that I receive the lion’s share.”

The Emperor of Russia will reply:  “Let us endeavour, my brother, to work for the welfare of the nations, let us calm their hatreds and follow the rugged paths of justice; above all, let us regard the power which the God of hosts has confided into our hands as an instrument of sovereignty, whose only purpose should be to keep the nation’s honour unsullied and safeguard the blessings of peace.”

“Words, nothing but words,” replies the Tempter.  “Say, Yes or No, wilt thou go with me to the conquest of the world?  On all sides your influence, which I have undermined, is waning:  you and your followers are caught in a ring of iron from which before long you will be unable to escape.

“In Germany, all things are subject to my unfettered rule.  Henceforth nothing can ever check or stop my triumphal march.  Throughout the humbly listening world, which will soon be at my feet, I break that which will not bend before me.  I overthrow all those that stand, and that which comes to me, I keep.  Even the Church, which treated with my forefathers on a footing of equality, now bows the knee before me and humbly votes the money for my great slaughters.

“Socialism, that bogey of Bismarck’s, is an easily tamed monster.  I have only to sow discord amongst its leaders to make it serve my ends of policy like the veriest National Liberal party.

“In Austria, my grandfather and I created financial troubles, entangled things, let loose envy and hatred and sowed the seeds of quarrels, which have delivered her into my hands.  Let them try as they will to free themselves from the fetters with which I have bound them; I shall create such obstacles to all these efforts that the future shall be mine, like the present.

“In Hungary, Prussian diplomacy has found a way to turn the people’s hatred of Austria into hatred of Russia, and to make them forgive the House of Hapsburg for a policy of coercion so cruel than even a Romanoff denounced it.

“Everywhere I create dissension amongst my allies so that the final decision may be mine.

“In Italy I have my ame damnee, the only one who understands me, an ambitious tyrant, mad like Bismarck with the lust of power, who serves my purposes at Rome as effectively as Bismarck hampered them in Berlin.

“I have stifled and destroyed the spirit of brotherhood in the cradle of the Latin race.  I have made history a liar, bringing a false morality to the interpretation of the most brilliant days and deeds.  I have reduced to servility a Royal House that once was proud.  I have cheated and deceived the cleverest and most suspicious race on earth.