The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-02-01
War In Europe.

Rumors have for some time been rife
that the relations of Russia to the Haps-
burr empire have become strained al
most to the point of complete rupture,
but now we have a declaration from the
most authentic source that q war be-
tween these two powers is Inevitable.
The budget of the Austria E,'a; n Of
flee was adopted on III "siay upon the
express understanding tnat its large de-
mands were based on the urgent neces-
sity of preparing for a collision. The
committee, in recommending the large
appropriations asked for, avowed their
conviction that a conflict with Russia
could not be long deferred, and it was
because majority of the delegations
agreed with them that their report was
adopted.
This public acknowledgement of the
critical aspect of the political situation
in Eastern Europe will be understood
to mean that the statesmen who control
the diplomatic and military affairs of the
dual empire abandon the hope and doubt
the expediency of deferring catas-
trophe. When we look back, indeed,
on the course of events in the Balkan
peninsula since the Congress of Berlin,
ton and dexterity of the Austrian Cabi-
net war must long ago have broken out
between the two contestants for the OF
toman Inheritance. From the moment
that, through the acquisition of Bosnia
and the Herzegovina, the Hapsburg
monarchy was suffered to drive wedge
into the heart of the peninsula, her po-
litical interests became diametrically
opposed to those of Russia, and it was
clear war alone could adjust the rival
| claims to dominate between the Danube
and the Egean.
The history of the Southern Slav
| Principalities since the Berlin Congress
| is tissue of intrigues more or less op-
en- and defiant on the part of the par
| tisans of the two contestants for ascend
ancy. Thus far the sharp and rancor-
Gus struggle for influence seems to have
resulted in slight advantage for Rus
sia, for the Prince of Bulgaria has PROV
ed himself willing tool of the Gar,
has overthrown the Bulgarian constitu-
ton by o coup u etat, and has virtually
placed the whole military and civil adj
ministration of his country in tRusSian
hands. Montenegro also must be look
ed upon as mere Russian outpost
planted on the Hank of the territory to
be fought for. In Scrvia, on the other
hand, the political sympathies are more
evenly divided, and the well-known in
clnation of the Prince for an alliance
with Austria is probably not unconnect-
ed with recent attempts to get rid of him
by assassination. In Roumelia, also,
where the emissaries of the Moscow
SIavorhiles have been trying to play the
same game which proved successful in
Bulgaria, the Russians have been Cir
cumvented by the joint influence of
Austria and Turkey; but the audacious
operations of the Muscovite agents in
this quarter, coupled with the proof of
their completely in the Bosnian insur-
rection, have convinced the Austrian
Government that they have nothing to
gain by the postponement of an newt
able war. This has become the more
/ palpable since the st. Petersburg Gov
ernment has thrown off the mask, and,
instead of pretending to discountenance
the Vaccinations of the Slavophile
party, has detached army officers for the
avowed object of placing them in posts
of authority in the Bulgarian service.
Moreover, while intlammable materials
have been heaped up in the peninsula
Russia has been quietly preparing to az
rive betimes the seat of the conflagra
ton by massing large bodies of troop:
along her western frontier. Should the
conviction expressed on Thursday by
the joint delegations of tie Austrian
and Hungarian ParliamC nts b. justified
by the event, Russia would probably
find herself without an ally, and Ger
many and Austria united might reason
ably expect to inflict such a blow on th.
Northern Empire as would relieve Eu
rope for many years from the haunting
specter OF Muscovite ambition.-Neu
| Yo9,h Sun.