The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-01-24
RUSSIA AND RKEY


In spite of home troubles hard times,
financial embarrassments and political com
plisations the business mind of America is
contemplating eastern affairs with undis-
guised solicitude. We are not disposed to con-
clude that the interest taken in the quarrel
between Russia and Turkey has any special
significance outside and beyond dollars and
cents. The people are quite too far re
moved from the scene and too little in
formed upon the remote causes OF existing
difficulties TO care much about results, except
in so far as trade and commerce are affected.
Ii an open rupture follows the abandonment
of peaceful remedies, then the United States
stand ready to profit by the fCllies of those
who resort to arms From this Standpoint
the subject is daily growing in importance,
and from present indications very rick
harvests will soon be gathered by
the business men of the United States
II is assumed that Turkey will be able 10
put into the field, first and last, one million
soldiers And it is expected, as the fight
Will be for retaining her European foot
hold, that it will De the most desperate in
the history of the Turks. 1t will be on the
part of the sultan something more than q
struggle for home and country. Re-
ligion will enter largely into the. contest.
The state religion of Turkey is Moham-
medan. its votaries are fanatics, and for its
supremacy they will fight now, as in forner
times, with desperation that yields only
when crushed yb overwhe Inning force.
1t is believed that the sultan, who is not
only temporal sovereign, but the represeR-
tative of and successor of MOhammed,
will draw recruits from all
Mohammedsn countries, and the
most reliable statistics place the number Of
she faithful in Europe, Asia and Africa at
lsO600, 600
To what extent the sultan of Turkey can
command the people Of Islam to aid him in
defending his temporal rights no rational
estimate can be formed; but if in the pro-
gress OF the struggle Mohammedans can be
brought to believe that the religion
of the Koran is involved, it is
safe to assume that they will come by thous
ands and tens of thousands and show theiI
devotion by every sacrifice possible.
Against this country and people Russia
from late advices, is about TO measure arm:
and contend for the mastery. In very
many regards Russia is the most powerful
and vastly in advance of Turkey in all appli
ances of modern warfare. Russia proper
or Russia in Europe, has population o.
about e6,OO0,O GEO. while Turkey in Europ,
has only about 22000,00O 1t would seem
therefore, easy matter TO crush the sui
tan and compel him to abandon his Euro
pean possessions.
II hostilities should begin. it is likely the,
will be more protracted than the period fxet
by those who believe in the supe
rior powers of Russia. BE thi
as it may the United States Is likely TO b
benefited by the war, and there's ore tn
more protracted the. better. With wal
Russia will cease exporting fer cereal prc
ducts to the markets of Europe, and tn
United States will be called upon to suppl
the deficiency. There will be demand 70
our surplus breadstuifs, for meats, for arm
and munitions OF war, Lat will increas
as the war proceeds. In addition
to this new markets will be opened for
great variety of orr manufactures. an
wealth in a steadily increasing tide Is likei
70 dow to or sho-as. Already the bushes