The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-10-26
The Coming War in the East.

The Philadelphia Times holds the opinion
that the Eastern question is as far from being
settled since the Berlin Congress, as it was
before that body assembled In its issue Of
Wednesday, that journal says:
AS was strongly limited by Sir Stafford
Northcote in his speech delivered last night
at Wolverhampton, there seems to be no rea-
son Tor doubling that Russia is engaged at
the present time in an attempt to re open the
Eastern Question in both its phases: the oues-
ton proper by encouraging the Afghans to
war against England; the European phase, by
stimulating the feud between the Bosnians and
the Austrians, and also by striving on her
own part either to brighten Turkey into ALI.
ance or drag Turkey into another war. The
obvious deduction from these, apparent. prem
ises is, that Russia in submitting the Treaty
OF San Stetano TO revision by the Berlin Con.
gress sought only TO gain time for rest and re-
cuperatIoa to the end that she might be better
prepared to make good her claims by the mr.
bltratlon of the sword. In this view of the
case her action at Berlin ceases to be mvste-
rious and the results as developed IN to the
present time indicate that the apparent future
IN her diplomacy in the Congress in no wise
IS to be attributed to failing skill Her posi-
ton to-day is a hundredfold stronger than it
was when the Treaty of San Stefano was
signed. Then, had England declared war
against her, Austria was surely to be counted
upon as England's ally; now. Austria Is ber-
self embroiled in a war with Turkey, and
scarcely can be expected to wheel her col.
umns and fight the battle of her present foes.
And if Austria should make so complete n
revolution Russia can count upon the Bosni
ans, backed by the Montenegrins, perhaps
also BY the Servians, and aided by Russian
contingent to hold Austria well In hand
This Is Russia great gain; gain that goes
far toward justifying high hopes in regard to
the issues of the coming war. The demon
stration toward India by way of Afghanistan
is not less directly result of the DELAY caus.
ed by the Berlin Congress than is the Austro.
Turkish complication; and it is even more
omlnous TO English interests in the far East.
1t Is direct threat that the true Eastern
Question, supremacy in Central Asia, is about
to be raised. In the matter of position, the
delay has hadno harmful effect whatever upon
Russia fortunes. A great show of moving
the troops homeward has been kept M. bnt
no really important position, either in Europe
or IN Asia, has been abandoned. Further.
the delay has given the soldiers needed rest
has given time for fresh provision of material
ofwar and even forthe negotiation-at a ruin
GUS rate of interest, it is true-of another
loan. With such results as these before us,
coupled with the facts which are published
this morning, under London and CONSTANT
nople dates, relative to the strength and to
the movements of the Russian Army in Tur-
key-facts uttered officially and transmitted
through trustworthy channels-it is difficult
TO believe that Russia really was vanauished
IN the Congress; more difficult to believe that
Russia will suffer the Eastern Question to re-
main for any long time in the shape given it
at Berlin.