The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-06-26
gl'e Gully Arg,,s,
luck NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
mlahat Pasha on Turkish Reconstruc,

-'A A1a1' <asna ON Turkish Reconstruc.
II tlon.
ne article written by Midhat Pasha
ano printed both IN French and English in
tne current number of the N1neteenth
t De':t@Ty' Is pertinent and useful contri.
T Tution 10 the past and recent history of
= ulkey' Ii is pointed out, for instance
era ~ hussla dlslnterested zeal on behalf
~ o1ristlan Europe against Mussulman
te'i uaer was concnslvely impeached nv
ner secret ,protter of Joint alliance nj h
ehe Qnspeakable Turk after the treaty of
Gan otefano. We are further told that
russian statemen, who may be sunnosaa
70 Know Turkey well, were so far from
oeemlng the new Ottoman Constitution a
sham' that the outbreak Of the late war
was unquestionably fastened by its nro-
mulgatlon. We are also asked. with .
quiet not to say rueful irony, to contrast
the federation at all times extended to oil
sects OF Christians by the House of OH.
man with the treatment of Protestants in
catholic Spain, and the persecution If
seceders from the orthodox Churcn in
| Russia. "'0" III
| But Mldhat Pasha has something - CON
about the future of Turkey. aud his re1
marks on this head are in striking accord
both with the policy already ontl;nad Nv
LORD Salisbury, and with the surprise ha
ileVed to be forthcoming from Lord Rea.
consheld. The points made by the Tnrk.
ish stateman are two, aud they are sub.
stantlally identical with those heretofore
indlcated IN this Journal He proponnces
II, tor instance, of the first Importance to
ottoman security, that the new vassal
state OF North Bulgaria shall not command
me eastern passes of the Balkans, or even
the fortresses Of the Qaadrilaterai He
would bound the new Christian nrincinal;tv
on the north by the Danube. on the west
6y SerVla, on the south by the vilavet Of
Roumelia and part of the Balkans and
on the east by the Jantra river, This
VIDE region, embracing among other dis
trlcts that of Sophia. would contain about
Two millions OF Inhabitants, Of whom Rpl.
gar!an Christians constitutes 60 to so nar
cent But it would not include Rustchnk
olllstrla, Shumla, and Verna, and the
intervening districts north of the Balkans
but east OF the Junlra, where Tartars
Clrcassians, aud Mohammedan BuIearians
Iorm 10 per cent, of the population. If
Russian Influence at the Congress should
compel the incorporation of this section
with the seml-lndependent Bulgaria, then
the mountain passes, at all events from
1aoroVa eastward, must be reserved 70
Turkey. With some natural advantages
thus assured to their frontier it is affirmed
that the Greek and Moslem elements Of
the people would be encouraged to CON-
centfate themselves to the south of the
Balkans, and there rear a new line of
deteuoe against SIavnnic aggression.
MISh9f paSha haliovaa
Aoslem have been drawn together hy the
events Of the past year, and that thew
would live in unity under the new Otto
man Constitution. That system. which
substantially reproduces parliamentary
institutions, and thus holds the germ of
intellectual and moral DEVELOPMENT, has
not OF course, acquired in Turkey the
conference and authority Of its Western
models. 1t wants the weight and prestige
derived from universal confidence that
a resol1te and loyal purpose will direct it's
application. This species Of sanction,
whose imperative necessity is not denied
by the turkish statesman, he would supply
oy u collective warranty Of the Western
powers. Here Europe, which has often
vexed the Porte with unreasonable inter
ference, would have, lie thinks, legitimate
ground for active and constant supervision
of the civic machinery. Let the Congress
solemniy guarantee the new Ottoman Con-
stitutlon, and to made its pledge effectual
let 1t delegate one of the great powers-to
be selected, We presume, by Turkey-to
counsel and cooperate with the Porte in
the enforcement Of reform. We do not
need the exi!ed state man to tell us which
of the powers he has in mind It is
obvious that Milhat's plan OF recoustruc-
t5ar, laid before public opinion 10 the
Aiactecatd Century, locks toward British
protectorate, and We shall soon know how
far lis main features foreshadow Beacons.
field 5 project. -Neao lIorh Sun.