Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-08-20
THE WAR ON THE DANUBE.

The revolt in the Turkish Danubian provinces
assumes daily more serious aspect and there
arc apparently good reasons for fearing that the
ultimate result may be general war. Should
such conflict be brought about it would OF me-
cessity work rretrievable disaster to the Ottoman
Empire. These provinces, despite their great
natural gifts, have been kept for ages in social
condition far below that OF surrounding countries
The governments OF Austria and Germany have
apparently found it to their advantage to allow
Herzegovina to remain in half-cyilized condi-
tion, the country unimproved and the people un-
educated and little aware of what is passing in
the world without. With this end in view, they
have encouraged the brutal rule of the Turks
although at any time within the past hundred
years they could have swept away as in a breath
one of the most degrading tyrannies un-
der the sun. But it suited them as it
suited Russia, to have half wilderness
between their possessions, by which they might
hold each other in check The ownership Of
such magnificent province, surrounded by
some OF the greatest powers in Chrstendom, by
country like Turkey is one of the strangest
anomalies in history, and it requires some such
matter of fact explanation as the one here given
to make it at all clear. Even so, the grade of
political morality among some of the
most enlightened moderns is seen
not to stand very high when motives of self
interest are brought into the case 1t is thought
bestial in any man or body Of men to keep down
the moral and physical growth Of their cotem-
poraries in order that advantage may accrue to
themselves-this is what the shareholders did
yet here we have three of the leading nations
Of the world united in just such an effort.
But the Herzegoyinians themselves have
at last risen under the yoke. Perhaps they do
not know how they might long since have been
helped by their powerful neighbors perhaps
they do not realize that their action may event
ually evolve tardy recognition Of their rights ;
but they none the less feel they are abused and
are resolved to submit no longer. A struggle
under such conditions may be imagined by any
one at all informed in the suavities of the Tur-
kish character. We must be prepared TO sup
our full of horrors, for the impending con-
flict, as far as the T1rks are concerned, Will
be not war but butchery The Herzegovina
ians know we'll the character OF their taskmas.
ters and we must take all this into account in
estimating their courage.
Of dissatisfaction in provinces and colonies
onerous and unjust taxation. The suffering.
caused by arbitrary imposts are matters of com.
mon knowledge. but the accounts OF the outragei
put upon the Herzegoynians by theil
Turkish masters almost surpass be
lief. We suppose it, of course, understood
that many of the Herzegoviniana are Christians
fact which adds to the hatred and cruelty ol
their oppressora. The tax gatherers rs they ART
by courtesy called, are, in fact, but 80 many high
waymen. They levy on personal property ut will
and make execution on the spot, without motto,
or form OF any kind, and from such impos
the sufferer has no appeal, demonstrated
is met with massacre. Some of the most vcner
ated and beloved of the Christians have me
death in this way, the grand result being ban
ded resistance Of few thousands OF brav
peasants who now defy the whole power of Mo
hammedanism, while Christian powers arc lie
ginning to debate whether this is not suitable
time to make an end Of tho grip Of Turkey oi
European civilization.