Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-01-05
THE RuRIIN9TON VT FREE Pr
Fores n Correspondence ofthe Free Press and Times
From Turkey.
THE KAsTRRS QUESTION.

From Turkey.
THE " KAsTERS QUESTION.
EnzRooM, Turkey, Nov. 1G, 1876.
y the Editor Of the Free Press and Times
Neither my time nor your space permits
anything like full reports of the numerous
stirring events of these days in the Turkish
empire. In some respects the threatening
aspect OF political affairs and the dark and
uncertain forebodiugs of the future, remind
me- of the winter OF 1901. while in other
respects tho hurried drilling and forwarding
of troops to the seat of war call to mind the
earnest fighting days Of the great rebellion
Nearly svsry day brings its wonder and the
prospect now is that the coming twelve
months will he more eveutiul than any that
have gone before.
All this began in an insignificant quarrel
il a small village in Herzegovina, on the e1-
treme western border of European Turkey,
about sixteen months ugo. The spark KIND
led the fierce fires of rebellion, which months
of fighting and thousands OF soldiers could
not put down. The campaign continued
through the winter In May. the emissaries
who had been for months working on the
peacsable and long suffering Bulgarians, sue
cecded in arousing them to armed rebellion.
Then followed the inhuman butchery OF
thousands Of men, women and children by
Turkish irregular soldiers and Circassians
(called BasLi-bazouks, or spoiled hsads),
which has SO shocked the world. Then fol-
owed the murder by Il ianatical Moslsm
mob of the French and German Consuls ut
Salonics, which showed what may at any
moment fall on the heads of Christians,
even though foreigners and official person
ages, at the hands of Moslem fanatics.
During that same month of May the de-
position of Sultan Abd-ul-Aziz was effected
with extraordinary skill. Up to that time
one of the most serious obstacles to reform
was the extravaganza, the caprice. the al
most madness, of the Sultan, and there
seemed no possibility of remedying the evil
while he lived. But few energetic men
conceived the plan of removing him, and
matured and executed the plot with such
consummate deyterity that not drop OF
blood was spilled though afterwards dis
graced and broken hearted, Aziz shed his
own blood in suicide, and one of his adher-
ents, Tcherkess Harsan, wreaked vengeance
by numbering three or four of the ministry
that brought about his fall.
In July Servis md Montenegro simulta-
neously began war with Turkey, which has
been carried on with varying success till the
present time. Thousands of Russian volun-
teers have joined the Servians. barely saving
them from humiliation before the superior
numbers and Winchester rifles of the Tur-
kish soldiers. Diplomacy has not been able
to settle the strife, though for short periods
truces have been arranged. The popular
uprising in England against the Turks on
account of the Bulgarian atrocities has forced
the English ministry to less decided atti-
tude of defence of Turkey, and thus Russia
is emboldened to urge forward her schemes.
While ostensibly laboring for the welfare of
the Christian population Of Turkey, Russia
really desires to acquire her territory, or, at
any rate. to get control OF the Bosphorus
and the Dardenelles, SO that she may have
southern outlet for her commerce. This the
other European governments are not likely
to permit. hence the possibility of another
Crimean war.
The Russian ultimatum to Turkey is that
Servia and Montenegro shall remain as here
totors /; that for Bosnia, Herzegovina and
Bulgaria there shall be modified form of
self government ; and that the Turkish
government shall carry out all its promised
reforms in all parts of the empire. These
terms are substantially those proposed by
the English government, only it is difficult
to state what is meant by the modified
self-government" or autonomy" which is
proposed. Russia, well knowing how easy
it is for Turks to promise and how hard to
fulfil their promises, has asked that the re-
forms shall be carried out under the pressure
of foreign occupation. This the Turks re-
scented and an immediate rupture seemed
inevitable. All Russians, Ambassador. Con-
suls, and private residents, began their pre-
partition for removal. At the last moment
negotiations for two months armistice wero
concluded and the crisis is at least post
poned.
1t is generally believed that hostilities will |
commence at the close of the armistice. |
even though in mid-winter. For long time |
such an event has been regarded as probable. |
All summer munitions of war. of every de- |
scription, have been moving towards Kass,
where the Turks will make their first stand. |
As nearly all the reserve militia force has
been sent to the war with Servia. the govern
ment is now obliged reluctantly to call on
Christian volunteers to defend this city.
II the Turks are SO indiscreet as to allow
war to break out, and the Russians are left
to have their own way. they will make quick
work of it, Tho Turks have neither the
men, nor the war material, nor the money.
nor the credit, needed for a war such us that
with Russia would be. Turkey is already
nearly exhausted in fighting with two insig
nifcant principalities. She would he quite
and helpless before the forces that
Russia would pour in upon her from half
dozen different quarters. 1t is to be hoped.
for the sake of humanity, that the Turks
will accept the inevitable rather than to rush
madly into u war in which they cannot win,
and which can only result in u profuse tow
Of human blood.
1t seems to be expected that the excited
and desperate Moslems will, in case Of war,
indulge in the massacre of Christians, and
the erroneous report has already gone abroad
of the massacre of seven hundred Christians
IN this city. As the fortunes of the Turks
grow more and more desperate such events
become more probable.
These later troubles have long ago cast in
he shade the financial endorsements of
he government. Present emergencies have
,een met by the issue Of PAPER money, by
he failure to pay current expenses, and by
grinding the people with oppressive taxation.
The end to all this cannot be far distant.
NJ PIP