The daily gazette., 1878-02-01
The Turlsi.l. Collapse.

Probably before this reaches our read.
ers the conditions of peace between Tur.
Key AMI Russia will have been settled at
Adnanople, aud the Turks will have be-
gun to realize the fatal change which has
taken place In their position as q Euro
pean rover. The rumor which comes
from England that the Queen has ad-
dressed herself personally to the Gar,
asking him to "spare Turkey" Is proba-
bly, untrue. Such an interference in an
important diplomatic negotiation would
be unconstitutional n well as indiscreet.
In any case, "sparing Turkey" would not
properly mean sparing the Turks. On
the the, contrary, spaEing Turkey means Inn
posing ON the Turks az hard conditions
as are consistent with their political ex-
istence. In doing SO the Russians are
not dealing merdlessly with a conquered
country they are binding brigand over
to keep the peace and taking his weapons
away. from him. Turkey, Us far as Eu-
rope Is concerned, means and ought to
mean the Christians as regards law, in
dustry, progress and future internatio onal
relations, the Turks are mere evil, which
has to be. carefully and cautiously and
perhaps slowly removed, but the per-
manence of which is not TO be provided
for, and the legality of which Is not to
receive one whit more recognition than
Is absolutely necessary. All treaties or
arrangements made with them ought to
contain plain and standing notice that
their departure from Europe Is confident
ly looked for and Is to be prepared for.
Mr.. Gladstone was much ridfculed last
year for having said that the Turks must
be turned out of Europe "bag and bag
gage" and he was suffi ciently impressed
with the claimor the remark raised to ex-
plain that he simply meant official Turks.
But he need not have shrunk from the
original statement except in so far as 1t
meant sudden or violent expulsion
The withdrawal of the TURKS from
Europe has, In fact, been going on
steadily under Christian pressure ever
since their defeat at Vienna. There was
once considerable TurEsh population
In Hungary, Moldavia- Wallachia, and
Bessarabia, from all of which It has
totally disappeared. Servia contained q
large body Of Turkish landholders down
to within sixty years; there is not one to
be found In that country now. In Greece,
az the outbreak Of the Revolutionary
War, there were plenty of Turks; a
Turkish resident in the kingdom, at
least outside the towns, is now a thing
unknown. The Turkish movement from
Bulgaria southwark. aud even into Asia,
has been, if slow, very steady ever since
1879. The growth OF the Christians in
wealth, and population, and political
weight, and the dread Of Giaour inya on
makes genuine Turk uncomfortable In
their frontier provinces, aud makes him
long for Asia. Few travellers in Bul.
garia and Rumelia within the last fifty
years have failed to meet emigrant trains
Of 1'urks pushing slowly toward Con-
stantinople with the intention of cross
ing into Anatolia, with their oxen, and
rugs, and pots, and pans, weary Of the
growing sauciness Of the infidels. In
fact, the Turk Is true carpet-bagger; he
will not stay In any coHntry In which he
cannot hold high Office anil bear sway.
SO that II Russia now uses the power
which the fortune of war has given her
she may cause prodigious exodus Of the
true believers within the next twenty
years and corresponding simplification
Of the problem Of political reorgsniza-
tios in the European portion of the
Empire. I..fl
Those who are fond of the Providentlal
view of history may find In the struggle
which Is just now closing abundant
materials for the illustration of their
theory. 1t Is more than fifty years since
the official class in Turkey became aware
that the continuance of their theocratic
government IN Europe was impossible;
that the salvation OF the empire depend
ed on the concession Of equality to the
Christians and the adoption OF European
methods In the civil and military admin
istration, Mahmoud began the change In
true Turkish fashion By the Wholesale
massacre of the Janissaries. Each of his
successors has In turn done his best to
carry on the work of "reform within the
party" and has enjoyed the extraordinary
advantage Of being protected, as it we're,
jealousy Of the European Powers. No
other worn-out State or waning caste
has ever had snch an opportunity of re-
oovery accorded TO IL.