The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-10-31
What Russia Wants.

Ihere Is AT Lle present. Llule d SIea'
amount Of loose reasoning in reference to
the wants and claims OF Russia in partic-
ular, and the Eastern question in general
Lack of trustworthy information in re-
gard to the country of the Car, its re-
sources, population, government and Gus
toms; our own comparative slight inter.
course, coupled with the fact that great.
err part of our information is viewed
through English spectacles and prejudi'
ces, are sufficient excuses for this.
There are many who believe Russia
has hostile designs upon Englands power
in India and the East; others that she de-
sires to establish the Greek Church to the
exclusion of the Jesuits in all Slavonic
cou ntries and in Turkey. While these
might be more or less the remote effect Of
hostilities and general war, and even
while they may now cut no inconsidera,
bic figure in the knotty Eastern problem
we are frank to confess that they do not
compass or fathom Russias purpose, MOI
are either of them sufficient to justify
Russia's taking up arms, II must be
borne in mind IN the first place that Rus.
STA will not 90 to war for an idea, as Eng.
land did in the Crimean contest, for
which, according to John Bright, she
paid 10000 lives, el00 100000, and loan
ed to insolvents in tie Bosphorus as much
more; and in the next place her financial
condition is not such as would justify her
in SO doing. Russia's annual deficit is
larger that Austria's, her finances are
muddled and her statesmen lack the abll-
itv to straighten them. In 1871 the total
interest. bearing debt was El35, 100000,
but in addition there are upwards OF 49,
OOO,OOO roubles issued in paper bills OF
credit, together with large floating debt,
the amount of which is unknown. There
tore. lacking the needful funds which are
the sinews of war, any serious interior
ence with England's India possessions
NAV not be looked upon rs alarming at
present. When 1t is considered that a
conquest of India by Russia would in
volve long and tedious marches over lofty
fountain ranges, exposed to eXhausting
I'D enervating climates, over poorly
- ,tered and trackless wilds Of sand, for
over two thousand miles away from any
solid base OF operations at OXenburg,
some of the difficulties will be seen. Then
met BY large force at the Indus, which
could be transported from England via
SueZ better than Russia could reach there
bv land. Then defeat would be annihi-
latlon, and victory might be stripped of
any solid or abiding benefits.
|. Russia wants tree and unrestricted
access to the ocean, in that her trade and
industry may be developed. AS Alex
ander l expressed it, she wants 'the keys
10 her own house." Peter the Great he
was amply repaid for his long and bloody
contest with Charles XII, of Sweden,
when be gained the Baltic provinces.
Now the issue from the Baltic is blocked
bv the Power that commands the Sound
and the Belts, and departure from the
Black Sea by the Turks at Constantine
pie. These are Russias two vital points,
and hence her interest in affairs at Copen-
hagen and Constantinople.
2. Russia wants an adjustment of the
Slavonian question that is, the struggle
of the Slave people Of Southeastern
Europe for uniticatlon and freedom based
on the principle of nationality. The
Slaves number upwards OF forty millions,
protesting the same faith, speaking the
same language. If We except about a
million free Servians and four million
Roumanians of the principallties who
are free, we have the balance who are
tyrannized over by alien races. Some
are held under military sway in Austro-
Hungary, while thirteeF millions in
Roumeia are lorded over by Turkish
barbarinrs Is it strange that Russia re-
yards the condition oil the Slaves with
feelings of pore than ordinary interest?
Bound by Ties of language, religion, and
propinquity of territory, her opposition
to the Turks, and aid to the down-trod-
den Christians means something more
than the establishment of the Greek
Church to the exclusion of the Papal. In
NAV. 1867, Nj. BOLT, a Creation agitator
ut a Pan-Slavonic meeting, honored by
the presen 20 of Count Tolstoy, the Min
lister of Education, NJ Pogzeboti, the
Mayor OF st. Petersburg, and other emil
nent persons, used the following Ian
EueGG: line Dallle Vi chio"a mas H0S'u-
ed the destiuies of the European East. In
consequence of it the German world has
been separated from the Slovenian; what
remains to be done is to solve the Slavon-
ian ouestion-a task to be fulfilled by the
Slavonians themselves-and chiefly by
Russia. Russia, gentleman, is no longer
Russian, it is Slovenian; nay, Pam
Slavonian. The resources mt her dIspos-
al are material but also mora. Slavonic
Russia is no menace to civilization, but
only prepares Europe for witnessing the
reunion otthe Slovenian family" ltthls
means anything, it is that since Austria
is no longer under the protection OF Ger
many, there is nothing 20 hinder the
SIavonians from utilizing her for these
Psn-Slavonic purposes under Russian
auspices. This, then, is WHIST R,umelia
means when she declares for independ-
euce, and in the light of the above, the
demands of the Gar are somethsng more
than for mere extent OF territory or the
embroiling of humanity in a contest over
cross or a crescent, St. Sophia or
MahomGt.