The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-11-17

The Eastern Question.
Tho people Of the United States have
for tho last ten days been SO much occu'
pied with the Presidential election that
they have given little attention to events
10 other parts Of the globe. Bat within
this period the dark cloud which has
been for months lowering along the Bos.
phorus and the Danube has assumed ad.
di,ioua1 blacknsIs. All Europe Is watt
ina With tho utmost anxiety to see
whether 1t will burst In storm Of war.
The Gar Of Russia has a. length In some
degree declared his purposes. With the
utmost distinctness he has given notice
to all concerned that Turkey must peace
ably yield reforms OF the most aweeping
cha rlctOr, or that he will undertake to
compel thsm by force Of arms. And for
the purpose OF making 1t evident that be
means just what he has said, the Russian
army Is in process Of mobilization, and
tens Of thousands Of troops arc already
on tho way southwark to the scene OF
possible hostili.ieS.
In order to understand this Eastern
question, which has SO long been threat
euiny tho peace Of Europe, and which
has been the cause Of one bloody war, 1t
i, 10 DO borne in mind that 1t involves
several elements. First Of all must be
placed the Turkish rule in the southeast
ern part Of the Continent. In It's whole
spiri. and methods II Is an anachronism.
It belongs to az sgo long gone by. lisa
thousand years behind the times. And
tits Asia.tic rather than European. In.
deed the overwhelming majority OF the
ruling race live on the Asiaic side Of the
Bosphorus, and they determine the gen.
eral character Of the government. More
over, It Is essentially Mohammedan
power--tha. is, its weight is all thrown
10 favor Of Mohammedanism and against
Christianity. At the same time only
about One.third Of aIl the people in the Ea-
ropean part OF this empire are Turks. The
stavs and R9umanians constitute the
bulk Of the population. Under such cir
cunstGuces, even ii the Turks ruled with
agoOd degree OF justice, there must be
constant dissatisfaction. But no such
justice is attempted. Oppression in every
possible form 10 INDUCED; SO that the
yoke becomes intoIerablO to the Chris
tlan population. It does not help the
matter tho leas. to show, as is sometimes
attempted, that in point Of civilization
many Of the oppressed are but little Ia
advance Of their oppressOrs. Wrong
still is wrong, andis none the less sure to
arouse the spirit Of resistance.
Another element which is involved IL
the relation in which the territory now
10 the possession Of Turkey stands to 1ndi'
and much OF western Asia. By virtue
Of It's situation 1t is almost inevitably thu
key to that region. LIE. tho eastern shore
Of the Mediterranean pass into the hand
Of Russia, and it would be nearly impos
.ible for England TO retain her hold upor
India il case The former power shcule
make war upon her. Hence tho extreme
Jealousy Of England. She is willing thai
Turkey should DO held by its present
rulers, because they use too weak to in
toriers with hOr. Bu! 1t would be differ
emit with this great Northern power; and
although there is no certainty that Rus
sl4 has any designs upon India, In The
nature Of tho case England can have nc
assurance that she will be left to the en-
ioynent Of her Asiatic empire il the Czal
once holds tho Eastern shores Of TIT
Mediterranean,
Other natiors are interested upot
other grounds. Some are jealous OF an!
increase OF power on the part Of thei
psishbors. The balance Of power-tha
vague thing Of which we have heart
an mucb-mp,t be ru.rded And Aus
trim IN n,rt;enl.r Ia an interested
nartv on txo grounds One ia the iuxta
poai.ion Of territory. Her dominionI
touch those OF Turkey, and she naturally
want. 10 beIp',o decide who shall be hel
ns;gbhor. And ,ho other IL a close par
aIlsI b,lveen her condition and that q
Turkey IN ono particular She too contain
MID ron,l,,,on There 4. constanl
,a,lou.v bstweor The German elsment or
,bs ono hand and The Magvor and The VA
rim, non.eermapic races in Austria or
theo,ber hand And II the Turkish En-
s r ~ rocn wbv sh,lI mo-