San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-08-17

were issued by khedives, appointeo ny
the Sultan, and the proceeds OF which
the ruling classes squandered on their
vices and favorites. The position OF
England and France is that OF protect
ing their citizens and themselves. The
Suez canal must be controlled by Eng
land TO secure her inside route to India
These facts enfold the Sultan amid
conflicting interests. In lS4l Turkey
gave qualified independence to the khe'
dive, He could issue bonds and make
improvements without recourse to the
permit of the porte, but he remained
politically vassal to him. The present
khedive has the same rights. If the
Sultan sides against Arab Bey, the
Egyptians will throw off the Turkish
yoke. If he sides with Arab Bey,
England and France will parcel out
Egypt among themselves. The khedive
is mere pawn played by Arab Boy,
and the Sultan is mere pawn played
by Bismarck, who, with the Gar, has
an understanding with the porte which
neither France For England has got at.
These complications will enable
Americans to see the mixed nature OF
the case. Egypt is in condition OF
slavery and injustice; at the same time
she is incapable of self-government.
England and France are the instru-
ments OF the injustice, yet they are the
instruments of civilization in Egypt,
and England is the custodian OF civil
ization beyond it. There is not great
chance for any of the rights which war
should promote to be promoted by this
war. If it is limited to the allies and
to Egypt, the allies will win, though
not after possibly great reverses. Ii it
takes in Turkey, it will be more likely
than not to unite her to Russia, in
spite of their immemorial feuds, for
both will have common cause in par
alyzing England in the East. Then
Germany would see France and Russia
fighting, and their weakening is her
gain. This view of the case would rem
der any prediction, except that OF a
general, long, bloody and oeplorable
war impossible, with Turkey preserved
as the necessary ulcer of Europe, and
Bismarck content to see every one OF
Germany's rivals graphing one another
by the throat. 1t is to be hoped the
matter can be kept an Egyptian ques-
ton, and not be made an European one.
On that alone depends the poor chance
which the Egyptians have of getting,
by the moral opinion of the world, a
modicum of those rights from their con-
querors which the people cannot get
for themselves and they could not use
to profit, if they had them, except by
the aid of masters. The abilities Of
Arab Bey, who is the khedive's war
minister and master, form the unknown
quantity of the situation. Some think
him great. Others think him only an
airy filibuster. Sanguine Americans
regard the Egyptians as capable of
self. government, but the best authori-
ties are against that theory. The pre-
tense Arab Bey makes of American
support comes from the assurances of
Fenian emissaries Who are operating as
far as Alexandria. If he relies on their
reported assurances, the problem of his
has already settled itself in the
negative. A character of some Amer
lean interest is Gen. Charles S. Stone,
the khedive's chief of staff, an adven-
turer, who commanded our troops in
the massacre at Balls Bluff early in the
rebellion. His ability as soldier
ought not to be rated high, but he has
carried his wares to a market where
foreign talent has had high price.
Any failure of his will be saddled on
the defective character of the Egyptian
forces, and that pretext will probably
be unjust, for they have proved their
efficiency, while Gen. Stone has not
done so.