The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1878-11-05
=-s=-szs
Russia and the Berlin Treaty.

No one at all familiar with the Russo
Turkish history believed that the treaty
consummated at Berlin with such flour
ish of British trumpets would last any
longer than the first opportunity Russia
found to repudiase it, But no one out
side the st. Petersburg cabinet supposed
that before the ink OF that famous docu
ment was dry it would be worth hardly
more than SO much waste paper. Yet
such seems to be tho case, If we may
base an opinion upon the general tone
aud temper Of latest European advices.
Russia has not torn the treaty of Berlin
in pieces, as she tore the treaty Of Paris
IN 1870 but she has quietly ignored some
of its NEST important provisions, and in
deed, is acting precisely as il Beacons.
fields "master stroke" had no existence
except in the Imagination of i.s author.
Instead of withdrawing her troops from
Turkish soil. according to agreement,
she IS distributing them i'll such manner
as indicates q stay Of indefinite duration,
Rnssion troops garrison Adrianoplc, aud
Russian celums occupy the most avaiia.
bile line of advances upon Constantine
pie. The Bulgarian seat of government
has been transferred from Tirnova
place no great strategic value, to Sophia,
place justly regarded as the military Key
of the western passes of the Balkans.
When the Porte protests and England
threatens. Russia is ready with uxpana.
tons that do not explain and apologies
that do not apologize; hut she takes no
step backward, and improves every diplo-
matte delay to prepare for the inevitable
conflict which no diplomacy can much
longer avert.
Meanwhile Bet coasiield and his col.
leages are trying to decide what is best to
be done about it. They are, so far AS
can be ascertained, unanimous in the
opinion that the treaty must be maintain
ed at all hazards, but not 80 unanimous
in regard to the ways and means They
are not so ready as a few months ago to
plunge England, single handed and alone,
into war with Russia. The cloud upon
the Afghan horizon, which, small il is
now, may have within its bosom an IN
dian hurricane is well calculated to breed
hesitation in the ministerial mind. And
it is the probability Of trouble with Rus
sia which induced the ministry to make
one more effort to settle the Afghan diff
Guilty by sending another messenger TO
Shere Ali. The effort will almost Ger
tanly fail, for Russian agents are urging
the ameer to adhere to the policy which
favors Russian interests. II the final ul
timatum is rejected, England must fight
or lose her prestige in the East; and a
fight with Afghanistan will keep all the
Indian troops at home--an important
thing for Russia.
Lord Salisbury has, it is said, forward.
ed circular letter to the varioas govern
ments represented at Berlin, pointing out
the necessity for cooperative action in
behalf of the treaty. 1t is extremely
doubtful whether the replies received will
be altogether encouraging. Austria, Ger
many, France and italy want the treaty
enforced; but neither of them, we think,
is prepared to go to war on that account.
Austria haa all she can attend to in the
Bosnian business, Germany has Socia.
ism and hard times to contend with
France is outstanding all her blood and
money for the decisive struggle with
Germany, and Italy has the pope and an
empty treasury to taen her an ,a ~ r.
formal demand for Russia to fulfill her
pied yes, but we do not believe they will
draw the sword in case that demand is
not satisfactorily answered. There is,
AS it appears to us, u strong probability
| that il the Berlin treaty requires to be
sustained by force Of arms, England will
have to do the work and pay the bills
herself. And that nothing short Of the
force of arms will sustain that treaty is
every day becoming more oyident.--St
Louis Republican.