Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-05-25
THE EASTERN VAR.


How long this war in the East will last
) just now more important to Americans
han who caused it or who is in the right.
every farmer in Augusta, talking over the /
ence to his neighbor, has something to do
With, and a pecuniary interest in how long |
t will last. To guess at this it is neces-
AIRY to look at the conditions under which |
t has been undertaken.
It should be long war if the hatred OF |
he-Russians and Turks is to be taken into |
account-a hatred which has the infusion |
If religion to add to its bitterness. Turkey
possesses by conquest all the ground that
IS sacred to Christians, and to her, both Ro-
man and Greek Catholics have to apply for
to visit the scenes of the life
and death of the Founder Of their faith. In
the last four hundred years hardly life
time has passed in which war has not
sprung, ostensibly, out of this. The Cri-
mean war, fresh in the memory of this
generation, found its germ in the privilege
of placing a silver star in the sanctuary OF
the nativity. The Porte granted the ex-
elusive right to this act of faith to the La
tin Catholic Church, of which France was
the hacker, and the Greek Church, backed
by the Gar, took exception, and commenc-
ed preparing for war, which soon followed.
The willy Louis Napoleon, who in those
days was the arbiter of the world, got this
concession from the Sultan, and paid him
by supporting him against the Gar. Be
tween the Roman Catholic Church and the
Greek Catholic Church the Sultan, though
holding both in contempt. recognizes the
former as the true legatee of Christ, and
twenty-five years ago gave the keys OF the
sacred manger to its priests. In return he
always has, as between himself and the
Gar, the sympathies of the Roman Catho-
lie Church, to the extent of its being at
least willing to see him come out OF his
conflicts undemolished. The Greek Church,
however, gives the Sultan the most trouble.
It is near neighbor, interlaps with his
territory at many points, and is ever push
ing in on him. AS it comes in his priests
strive to turn these heretics and ''dogs OF
Christians" into good Mahommedans, but
they will not be saved. Now the system
of Mahommed is founded on the business
principle of so much work and so much
paw. so, if the Christians will not do the
work they cannot expect Paradise, and
that not being in store for them, it is the
Turks honest belief that death ought to
be a small matter with them. So it is his
custom to STAY them upon occasion, or per-
secute them, if more expedient, whenever
opportunity offers. This breeds constant
irritation, which has broken out in wars
every quarter of century for the last
four hundred years. When assalled I'ur
key has always been whipped, but when
Europe intervenes the result is the othei
way, and Russia has to wind up the
campaign with Instantaneous treaty,
similar to that which closed the Crlmeai
conflict. But the fact is that the Turk
and his religion are both behind the times
and out of place in civilized Europe. Civi-
lization is ever pressing him, and if Eng
land were satisfied about Russias lnten-
lions about India, she would permit hin
to be kicked out. But it is lard to turf
off door-keeper, with ever so bad char
acter, if you know your neighbor IS WAITING
to SQUAT on your farm, and the Sultan
though dissolute and a heather aud man.
other bad things, sits at the door OF Eng
lands Eastern poceoeeiens, and while She
-Constantinople.
While the religious hatred in the wal
would point to long duration, the relative
strength of the combatants greatly weak
ems that conclusion. Certain it is tina;
left to herself Russia would make shori
work of the Turks until she butted VI
against Constantinople. She has COM
pact territory containing sixty-five millio'
people, upon which she can draw for troop:
in this war. Turkey has population whic
she can rely On in this conflict, Of abosi
twenty-four millions. She has more, bu
they are of the Sc]avic race and cannot be
looked to for this emergency. BY race anN
religion they are first cousins to the Rus
sians. The army of Turkey numbers with
in few thousand Of half million men
The army of Russia numbers nearly eight
hundred thousand men, but in both cases
Turkey has only in the field two hundred
Thousand men and Russia about three hun
dred thousand. After the first conflicts
troops into the field, Turkey will be over
whelmned. In the matter of navy. Turkey
has a great advantage and Russia will not
and does not expect to gain any advantage
by sea. It is only the probability that the
European powers will not intervene
or that Russia will push on to be
siege Constantinople that makes more
than a year of war probable. On the
former it is hardly of use to speculate.
England is actively preparing to take
hand if any attempt is made to wipe the
Ottoman out, but how far she may let
the conflict proceed before she sees
cause for interference is obscure. Ger
many is already prepared and there
is little doubt that if FHsiand and
France attack Russia again the Ger
,,,a, e,,ord will, b. IN her side. Austria is
making Operations to hold her Sclavonic
subjects who are restless and might take
advantage of the war to move. Should the
war become general it is not in the power
of man to say when it will end. And the
same remark is true should the Car under
take to capture Constantinople, city that
has never been captured but once in the
centuries the Turks have possessed it and
then it capitulated. Its defences and even
its approaches are almost impreguable.
But peace will be made long before the
come in sight of ancient Byzan-
tium. So considering all things the world |
does not look forward to long war.
But while the war is progressing the |
United States is the grain supply of that
part of the world. The wheat exporta-