The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-03
ENGLANlb's EASTERN JOB.
The Theoretical settlements of the East
term aauestion-Elemen of Disturb

The Theoretical settlement of the East.
term auestion--Elements of EBlsturb-
anee.
[Constantinople Correspondence of the New
York Tribune.l
1t is q mistake to suppose that the Eastern
question will disappear with the removal Of
European Turkey and Armenia from It's do
main. So long as any people who possess
growth are misruled by the government Of
Constantinople, because 1t does not possess
growth, there will be struggles In Europe to
ddisodge the government 10, Of Constantiin,ope
make positive provision for this fact. Asia
Minor is peopled by Turks, who are still in
many places mere nomads. Living in cities
and on farms among these Turks d d popula-
ton Of Armenians and Greeks, who will be
entirely beyond the reach OF the benefits
which the new system brings from Europe.
The Porte has q theory Of equality Of all
classes for use in it's Department. of Foreign
knows nothing of It. The first man to reduce
the theory to disuse is the Grand Vizier, and
after him every official in the land. Equality
10 matter OF dollars and cents. Tt implies q
larger competition OF office-seekers and less
opportunity for men whose qualification for
office is their claim for overdue wages on
some Pasha whom they have served as office
cook or boot-black.
The English are trying to persuade the
Porte to employ ex-Indian officers to reorgan-
lie the administration Of Asia Minor This
would be perfectly feasible, II there was really
any desire to reform or any real conscious
ness that the cause Of Turkish decadence Is
the one ascribed by Europeans. The cause Of
the Khedive Of Egypt is an illustration Of the
extent of q Turks appreciation of the need Of
reform He wished to be rid of the "capitula-
ton" by which foreign residents In Turkey are
exempted from the control Of the govern
ment, 30 he inaugurated the system OF courts
(which sit In Cairo and AiexandriO presided
over by judges appointed by the foreign gov
ernments. This perfectly served his purpose
OF suspending the capitulation. The scheme
worked admirably until he found that the
new courts meant business, and even gave
verdicts against himself. Then he wished to
get rid of the courts, and refused to obey their
mandate. 1t was much the same In regard to
the Egyptian finances. He and the Turkish
race Of which he is type are fond of inchoate
The moment reorganization begins to touch
pet evils, the government becomes like O.
drunkard who has temporarily ''sworn off"
and the reform Is stopped.
Mr.. Layard Is quite sanguine that England
will be able to watch over and control Turk
ish administration / think he expects the
ambassador here to assume more and more
the position occupied by English commits
sIoners with the native governm ents in India.
He cannot be more deeply impressed with the
necessity OF this than was Lord stratford de
ReGcliffe at the close Of the Crmean war
Then, too England had made up her mind
that her safety In the East demanded q watch
full and constant pressure on the Porte, which
should reform its administration and destroy
the excuse for Russian intrigue But Lord
Stratford was recalled, ministries were
changed, and the ceaseless vigilance, the sole
condition Of success, was forgotten entirely.
English intervention will doubtless be active
while the impressions of the late crisis are
still fresh. But ere long we may perhaps ex-
Dect new ministries and new ambassadors
who will forget the past. The Turks again
left to themselves, because the congress did
not devise any protection for the Christians
in Asia Minor, will walk in the old paths. II
this occurs we may expect in u few years
another outbreak OF the Eastern question as
an entirely new one. Then will England once
more come in conflict over Constantinople.