, 1877-05-19

q few years more. 1t would only be put
Of, howevsrS for Turkeys difficulty about
her Christian populations is not 80 much
because che will not az because she cannot
govern them fairly. No one whose views
on the subject are worth listening to can
seriously believe 10 the possibility of the
Christian populations growing as they
must DO in numbers, strength, and c%iviliza-
Sion, and living always cOntentedly under
the benign rule Of Constantinople. Even
were Turkey far more enlightened and
more flexible than she is, it would be i'm.
possible for her to keep these Christian
provinces always under Mohammedan ruls.
We may look to the setting up for them.
selves in some way Of these Christian pro.
vinees merely IS q question Of time. The
0hort sharp struggle between Russia and
Turkey, Of which wa have spoken as 9
possibility, would leave the fnal question
90 be settled by the future. We cannot
cay that this would be a satisfactory issue.
But satisfactory or not, it would under
such conditions have to be accepted BY
Europe. The Great Powers could not say
TO Russia and Turkey, You have begun
this war, and you shall fight it out until
what We think 40 adequate conclusion
L" has been reached"
This would be a campaign almost with.
cut any present complications. TO use the
familiar phrase, but with all the trouble to
begin again somewhere in the future
Again, it is possible-we are speaking
emily of PossibiIlties-that the Russians
might actually get to Constantinople as
quickly, allowing for differences Of place
and condition, 90 the Prussians in 1866
got within sight OF the spires Of Vienna.
They might occupy ConstantinOple. Then
indeed q Ghrill OF anxious emotion, such
90 this generation has never felt, such
perhaps as Europe has not known sincs
Austerlitz, would be felt from the Oar.
danelles to the Northern Ocean. But it is
stlIl possible that Russia might even then
90 suddenly p-ovs her willingness to deal
fairly and openly with tho European
Powers as to reduce the crisis 10 q moment
from one OF to one of states
manllke arrangement. In that case we
may presume that the future OF tn. Clris-
tian populations and Of Turkey in Europe
would be settled absolutely without rets-
renee to the Turks; and it is not impossible
that a satisfactory settlement might DO
"AtIAOOG Guy LuI IIIGl wac Au1S6
are OF course very rSseate views Of the
coming crisis. II the war is to hlve any
practical object or result, nothing could
well be more desirable for Europe than
such a possibility as that which we have
last suggested. But this is only to be
looked for If we credit Russia, not merely
with she strength and skill to win at once
al overwhelming success, bat also with all
unselhsh and q magnanimouS wisdom for
which nothing in her past history bids US
TO look with much confidence. On the
other hand, everything that prolongs tbs
war increases immensely the chances Of
its becoming general. A few successes of
the Turks in the beginning, no matter how
unsubstansial they might be. would ill
them with renewed enthusiasm. make
them more obstinate. entail greater coat
and sacrifice on Russia. and rendsr her less
willing in the end TO look on the question
as one to be settled chiefly according to the
judgment OF Europe st large. Some san.
sible words have been said about the i'm
possibility, if the struggle be at oil pro.
longed, Of keeping the fires of insurrection
and war from breaking out at various
points Of Europe and Asia, on continents
and on islands, amid far inland tribes, and
annAnm Tho aaofarsnv roAAa IS Hsoals A1AoI