The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-11
THE WAR IN THE EAST AND
THE PROPHETS.

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Queen Victoria loves England and
the fair fame of England. She would
have it remain forever spotless as her
own. Nobody doubts her honesty and
unselfshness of purpose; but whether
she is wise just now, in following the
advice of the scholarly Hebrew, Dis
raeli, and in inaugursting war with
Russia, Is very questionable. Rus
sia has many confessed, palpable ad-
vantages. She made war upon Turkey
and had the right, or England would
have interposed. Russia won and
Turkey lost, and the victor demands
no more than did Germany when
France was helpless. By what right,
except that growing out OF possible
impending danger to Egypt and India,
England denies to Russia the poor
privilege. of entering COnstantinople or
of holding captured strongholds along
the straits, we cannot clearly see. If
Russia have made contract with the
great powers not to do this war may be
justifable. The basis of right on
which England stands may be perfect,
and the war righteous. but il it wIse2
Will it not cost, even if England come
off victor, as in the Crimea, more than
Of AL
rights! Russian armies, if war occur,
will move steadily towards Egypt and
India. England can interpose no in
superable obstacle. Native Indians
will be paralyzed when the banner of
the prophet, upheld by the Sultan,
leads Russians to victory. Russia
may have no money, but she needs the
least possible sums to maintain In the
field the greatest possible armies. Her
soldiers are rather religious enthusiasts
than machinery of war. The Emperor
is their Goods Ylcegerent on earth,"
and they adore him as such. They
will fight while they can have bread
and die with degree of stolidity
as sublime as the fstallsm of their new
allies, the followers of the Prophet.
Englishmen never question the success
of the good Queen; but Americans do.
We would prefer British triumphs in
all wars since 1t is the triumph of peace
and progress and of wise and good
government, but whatever may be the
preferences of those contemplating the
course of possible events in the East, we
cannot help thinking that England,
having refrained from fighting while
the Turks still fought, should not be-
gin fighting when the Turks are not
only helpless, but supposed to be
the allies of the victorious Russians.
If England, as every European tele-
gram seems to indicate, enter the field,
other countries will be involved and
the East must become the scene of con-
flicts infinitely more ruinous and
deadly than those in which Ma
poleon, Cesar and Alexander figured.
When wealth and credit have exhaust
ed their treasures, and armies cannot
be maintained. and peace comes OF
sheer exhaustion, every potentate in
Europe, except the Gear and Pope,
DoUu uPuUIu vy -s~--s.----,-.
will lose his throne. Then comes the
Commune and Internationale, and
Trains and "Hard Bricks" prophecies
may be fulfilled. Whether these
grand results follow or not, England
has infinitely more to lose than gain,
at this late hour, by colliding with
Russia. The world is big enough for
both empires. Their missions, destiny
and civilization are wholly different,
and if Russia will not England should
postpone to the latest possible
hour this inevitably fatal con-
fict with force which can
only be repressed and never de-
stroyed. Russian despots will reign
while the Greek Church exists, even
as Rome lives and grows in power, the
world over, when the Pope's temporal
kingdom is no more. Russia, without
faith and church, might be stricken
down, but the Greek Cross exerts an
infinitely greater sway over the minds
of Russian soldiery than the Cross of
Christ over Christians. Hunger and
thirst and penury and famine are i'm
potent In dIssolving Russian armies,
while those of England will disappear
like morning mists beneath the sun of
Egypt or as blosoming plants in snow
storms of the Himalayas. Victory
on every battle field will never COM
pensate England for losses of men and
money to be incurred, and for the
simple reason that when Russia is
beaten she is still inyincible and prsc-
tically victorious. Let US hope, even
yet, that the good Queen, who is loved
and reverenced, as all honest men
love nobility in womanhood, will find
it possible to escape the necessity for
war, and that the prophets, including
Hard Brick, may find themselves
wholly at fault