The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-05-18

two causcs-thc direct and indirect.
The direct may be stated In very few
words The oppression and persecution
Of their Christian subjects by the Turks
reached such a point 81 cruelty that the
victims broke out In open revolt a year
ago. In supprcssing this revolt, the
Turks were guilty Of such inhuman tor
lures and massacres that Europe, with
Russia al the head, protested, and after
meeting III Conference demanded that
the Porte should give guarantees Of re-
form. The Porte refused, and Russia,
as the champion Of the Christians, now
takes the field 10 securcihesc reforms BY
the sword, and 20 amelioratc the condi-
tion Of the Christians.
The indirect cause of the war il that
the Turk Is an alien in Europe, an enc
my Of Western civilization, "A sanguina-
~ fanatic BY nature, a ruler whose Gov
eminent Is not Government OF law
but Of plumber, and that there Is very
general feeling in the civilized world
that il Is time for this Government To be
oyerthrown or removed 10 it, original
Asiatic source. The element OF law
does not enter into the idea Of Turkish
Government. It's Constitution Is an Mt
ter dead letter. II has no machinery
for enforcing laws. II has promised "a
make reforms over and over again, which
promises remain unfuliilled because IL
can not enforce them. The governing
power OF Turkey is in the hands Of "A
caste that does not number one-sixth Of
the Empire, which exists as an armed
camp Of Asiatics, in the midst Of Eu-
rope, not To Inv down laws, enforce obe-
dicncc, and administer justice, but 70
terrOrize even 10 the extent Of extermi-
nation, If necessary, and in any event 10
a degree that will make resistance i'm
possible. This caste i not responsible
10 any authority but its own. If its
agents commit outragcs, there is no re-
dress. Not one Of the ficnds who per-
petrated the Bulgarian horrors has ever
been punished: on the other hand, the
hloodieSt butchers have been promoted
to higher seats Of honor. MIR. Maccoll,
in his recent work on Turkey, speaks Of
the condition Of the Bulgarians as fol-
lows:
The Christians have in most provinces,
and notably In Bulgaria, fallen into the tenn
per Of slaves; that resistance 20 the gend-
armerie l. considered impossible, the Gov
eminent and its sodiery invariably support
ing them. unit! the armed policemen can do
absolutely what they please, and IN country
where chastity IL considered Of the highest
Importance and women are rcycrenccd a. IN
Ireland, the honor Of families l. absolutely At
the mercy Of any villain who may be admit
ted into the ranks Of the defenders OF order.
The people. aware that the slightest COM
plant viii be the signal for massacre or tor
fure. have been degraded below the human
point. till, when assailed IN the way which
makes even slaves resist, they only occasion
ally have the energy % join The brigands,
though, strange ~ Say when they have joined
them they fight 70 the death. 7.
} II l. enough 10 say that In all rural districts,
wherever Turks are annoyed, or resisted, or
even affected with caprice Of tyranny. the
villages encounter the fate OF cities taken 10y
storm in the worst cyclcs 0f niddle-age war
! fare. The men are murdered, and the women
violated AZ will and with impunity. No re-
dress il even hoped for, the authorities all
side with the gendarmerie or soldiers, and
the worst offenders are the Pashas sent 70
maintain order. The Christian who COM
plains j. tortured until he leaves on COM
planning, and the pasha who fortunes him L
. considered an energetic officer, and rapidly
promoted.
The Turkish Government lives not
only by cruelty but by plumber. II i
predatory in character, not judicial. II
eats the substance Of its victims il they
object. II cxtcrminatcs them. II take.
.. with no idea Of returning. II borrow'
with no idea Of paying. II promises
', with no idea Of fulfilling. 1t lives among
civilized nations as the blackmailer, ano
thief, and swindler live in society. Il
would have no subject unless as slave
|. il il can not enslave him. ii kills him
ravishes his wife, sells his children, anG
:. burns his home As Mr.. Maccoll say,
in another part Of his work, speaking D
the evil which this war Is intended to re
move:
II II the existence Of a so-callcd Govern
ment over at the very least six millions o
Christians in Europe and three million
more In Asia, which, 50 far from securing
even tolerable peace for domestic and socia
, life, and rendering II probable that the hui
man beings born IN Christian communitie
7 should grow up with the ordinary confidence
\ In industry. courage under wrong, self-re
: -pcct In conduct, affections In their homes
/ and goodwill towards their neighborS, 0
average men, actively prevents any such re
suit, substitutes organized plumber for tax
alton, favoritism ~ the grosscst kind 10
Justice, cows all the manincss out Of tn
E men, and All the womanliness out Of III
Z women, replaces the noblest affections by III
! fierccst and the ineancst passions. makes drca'
( chronic, scrsility the only assurance agains
I wholesale wrong, and apathy the one rcmcd
against outrage.
! 10 suppress such an evil as this Russi
enters the field, and her lcgions are nov
securing over Roumania and ASH
! Minor. No horrors Of war can cqua
the horrors Of Sclavic persecution. N
loss Of life can be So terrible as the evi
? that occasions IL. Its removal al an
Y cost Of life, money, or misery win be
4 blessing "a the world --Ncr York World
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