Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-05-22
PRINCIPLES, NOT MEN.
RUSSIA AND RoUMANIA.

Our readers no doubt have noticed
that we have abandoned the eastern
War" in measure. The 'stricks" OF
tho parties engaged in it, in the field of
diplomacy, are as apparent to the stu
dent of current events, as those of the
expert gambler and frequently of as
low character England fooled Tur-
key, and Turkey has fooled England in
turn, while Germany and Austria have
"playcd fast and loose" by turns, and
now their great men are compelled to
stand out in bold relief, as either cow
ards or rare demagogues, while the Of
ficials OF insignifcant principalties look
on and laugh Butwe have digrcssed.
When we started out we proposed to
lay before our readers an article under
the above caption, taken from the New
York World, which gives the reader
and student OF edrr.;t and historical
events an inside viewfof European af.
fairs. The editor says:
The account which we lay before our
readers Of the principality Of Rouma-
mia, just now the pivot of political in.
terest In Eastern Europe, will enable
them to understand how deadly blow
Russia proposes TO strike at the future
of Roumanian independence and pros.
perity when she demands the retroces-
sion of that strip of Bessarabia which
she was compelled at the peace Of Paris
in 1856 to cede TO the new nationality.
At the outset OF the recent war with
Turkey Russia was forced to negotiate
with Roumania for an alliance which
she obtained and without which she
could never have successfully assailed
European Turkey. 1t was the inten.
tion Of the powers which wrested part
OF Bessarabla from her and gave 1t TO
Roumania that the ccssion should act
as a breakwatcr for Turkey and East
ern Europe against Russia aggression.
1t has been clearly shown by recent
events that SO long as Russia cultivates
fair and friendly relations with Rouma.
MIA that principality may be counted
on by her as an efficient ally in the
prosecution Of such enterprises as at
the beginning Of this conflict the En-
peror proclaimed his march against the
Ottomans to be- Her present demands
upon Roumania therefore, are justly
Interpreted by the Roumania, people
and by Europe TO mean that she is i'm
patient of any restraint whatever upon
any plans which she may desire to ex-
ecute in the East. Were she to be al
lowed 70 occupy Bulgaria under the
pretext Of temporary protectorate,
and at the same time to take military
possession Of tho line of the Prnth, both
Roumania and Bulgaria would substan-
tally become Russian provinces, and
the Black Sea would become to all in
tents and purposes n Russian lake. OF
course from the Russian point OF view
all this is natural and reasonableenough.
The Russian people have manifest
destiny" in which they believe; and as
they have made tremendous sacrifices
and assumed great burdens in accom-
plishing the final overthrow ofthe Tur-
kish power, they cannot be blamed,
perhaps, for thinking that their own
manifest destiny is Of higher impor-
tance than the dreams and desires of
the new Roumanians have done Russia
good and real service in this war. Had
they not facilitated her southwark
march and lent her the succor Of their
arms Plcvna would neither have been
fought for nor won. The Roumanians,
therefore, on their part would be enti-
tied to hearing from the European
powers which signed the treaty of Paris,
before submitting to q virtual extinc-
tion of their nationality, were their
fate a matter of secondary interest or
of no interest at all to those powers.
But the fact that Roumania exists
shows that her existence is O matter OF
very serious interest to the European
powers. She exists for the very pur-
pose which Russia now In the pursuit
OF her own aims seeks to make II i'm
possible for Roumania to fulfill. 1t is
OF great moment to Austria that Rou-
mania should intervene as reality and
not as sham and pretense between
the Danube and the frontiers of the
Russian power. II is matter of mo-
ment to the Western powers that Rus
sia should bc kept at arms length eff
GENTLY from the control of the same
mighty river. And above all, II is q
matter OF moment to the most impor.
tant of oil the powers Of Europe that
Roumania should become solidly estab-
ished as an intervening State between
Russia on the one side and Austria on
the other. II was because Prince Bis
marok saw and fuit this that no cent
Prince Charles of Hohenzolern down
the Danube IN 1866 so promptly to ac
cept the throne offered him by the ple-
biscite of the Roumanian people, who
offered him that throne precisely be.
cause they knew that BY securing a
Prussian prince TO reign over them
they would guarantee thoir depend
cnce as between Austria and Russia
more effectively than in any other way.
If there were nothing in the traditions
nation of ,be two emnires relatively 10
one ono,bcr wh;cb shonld make Berlin
rec.rd ! Russian a,,emnt 10 absorb
Ranman;a or 10 rsdnce Ponman;a "a
;ns,an;scance with d;strnst The nres.
ence Of = nr;nca Of ne prussian roval
bouse @ y on = he Roumanian throne wo1ld |
na,mroIlr ;ncl;no pr;nce p;smarck and
,hs Em1eror 10 ;n,srnose hetween he
Crar md ,he DomnI,or Ru, as we
have alreadv shown in these columns
Gsrmonv has moro reason 10 regard
,bn devcIonment of tbe Russian mover
and The extension Of the Russian
da,,,;a;n,s ~ r;,h anv;e,v and con