Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-09
The Cause of the RussO-TErkish War.

A correspondent writes us desiring a
brief statement OF the cause of the war
between Russia and Turkey. There
are two causes,-the direct and indi-
rect. The direct may be stated in a
very few words: The oppression and
persecution of their christian subjects
by the Turks reached such a point of
cruelty that the victims broke out in
open revolt year ago. In suppress.
ing this revolt. the Turks were guilty
of such inhuman tortures and massa-
cres that Europe, with Russia at The
head, protested, and after meeting in
Conference demanded that the Porte
should give guarantees of reform.
The Porte refused, and Russia, as the
champion of the Christians, now takes
the Aeld to secure these reforms by the
sword, and to ameliorate the condition
of the Christians.
The indirect cause of this war is
that the Turk is an alien in Europe,
an enemy of Western civilization, a
sansuinary fanatic by nature, a ruler
whose Government is not Govern
ment of law bat of plumber, and that
there is very general feeling in the
civilized world that it is time for this
Government TO be overthrown or re-
moved to its original Asiatic source.
The element of law does not enter into
the idea of Turkish Government. Its
Constitution is an utter dead letter.
It has no machinery for enforcing laws.
1t has promised to make reforms over
and over again, which promises remain
unfullfilled because it cannot enforce
them. The governing power of Turk.
ey is in the hands of caste that does
not number one sixth of the Empire,
Which exists as an armed camp Of Asi-
a'ics in the midst of Europe, not to lay
down laws, enforce obedience, and ad-
minister justice, but to terrorize even
to the extent Of determination, if ue-
ccssary. and in any event to a degree
that will make resistance impossible.
This caste is not responsible to any au
thority but its own. If its agents
commit, outrages. there is no redress
Not one of the fends who perpetrated
the Bulgarian horrors has ever been
punished; on the other hand, the
bloodiest butchers have been promoted
to higher seats of honor. Mr.. Mac,
coll, in his recent work on Turkey,
speaks OF the condition of the Bulgari
ans as follows: II 4.
''The Christians have in most provin-
ces, and notably in Bulgaria, fallen in.
to the temper of slaves; that resistance
to the gendarmerie is considered i'm
possible. the Government and its SOL
diery invariably supporting them, un-
til the armed policemen can do abso-
lutely what they please, and in a
country where chastity is considered
of the highest importance and women
are reverenced as in Ireland, the honor
of families is absolutely at the mercy
of any villain who may be admitted
into the ranks of the defendera of or
der. The people, aware that the
slightest complaint will! be the signal
for massacre or torture, have been de-
graded below the human point, till
when assaulted in the way which makes
even slaves resist, they only occasion.
ally have the energy to join tie brig
auds, though, strange to say, when
they have joined them they fight to
the death. 1t is enough
to say that in all rural districts, wher-
ever Turks are annoyed, or resisted, or
even affected with a caprice oftyranny,
the villages encounter the faith of ci-
ties taken by storm in the worst c ycles
of middle-age warfare. The men are
murdered, and the women violated at
will and with impunty. No redress is
even hoped for, the authorities all side
with the gandarmerie or soldiers, and
the worst offenders are the Pashas sent
to maintain order. The Christian
who complains is tortured until he
leaves off complaining, and the Pasha
who tortures him is considered an en-
ergetic officer, and rapidly promoted"
The Turkish Government lives not
only by cruelty but by plunder. 1t is
predatory in character, not judicial.
1t eats the substance of its victims:
If they object. it exterminates them.
It takes with no idea of returning.
It borrows with no idea of payment.
1t promises with no idea Of fulfilling.
1t lives among civilized nations as the
black. mailer, and thief, and swindler
live in society. 1t would have no snb-
ject unless as slave; if it cannot en-.
slave him, it kills him, ravishes his
wife, sells his children, and burns his
home AS Mr.. Maccoll says in an
other part of his work, speaking of the
evil which this war is intended to re-
move:
1t is the existence of so.called
Government over at the very least six
millions of Christians in Europe and
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