Evening star., 1885-11-16
The Evening star has a regular, permanent
bona fde daily circ cEiafion more than treble
that of any other daily paper published In
Washington. and equal to that Of all the
other daily papers here added together.

The war now formally begun between Servia
and Bulgaria derives its chief Importance from
the fact that it puts i'm jeopardy the peace of
Europe. The root of the trouble lies in the
jealousy OF the great powers over the distribu-
tion of the spoil of the morbund Turkish en-
pire in Europe. Russia. for years, has had her
eve fixed on ConstantinOple, for the reason par
ticularly, that she needs n seaport. Germany
Austria and Great Britain oppose Russia's
schemes, and for that reason, are inclined to
bolster up "the unspeakable Turk" although
they have little liking for him.
The famous treaty of Berlin was supposed to
have frustrated the designs of Russia upon
Turkey. The debatabIe ground in the Balkan
peninsula was parceled out to suit the purposes
of Turkeys political friends, and Disraeli came
home to enjoy a triumph. But recent events
have proved that Russia secretly intended to
use the treaty to her own advantage. She
meant to direct the policy of Prince Alexander
of Battenburg, whom the congress of Berlin set
over the newly defined territory Of Bulgaria,
and hoped by this means to creep southwark in
spite of treaty opposition. But, apparently
Alexander has not been the plant tool that
Russia expected. He has, indeed, encouraged
an insurrectfon in ROumelia, the effect of
which would be to aggrandize the Russian
interest in the peninsula, provided the move
ment recognized her claims. But Alexander
has taken pains to express his continued allie
glance to Turkey, that Russia sees in his
action not the breaking down of old walls but
the building OF new Ones and Is naturally
angry at the failure of her intrigue.
Russia, therefore, has expressed her displea-
sure with Alexander in the most decided tash-
ion, and is expected to now do directly what
she meant to do indirectly, namely, interfere
by arms in Balkan politics with a view to con-
trolling the road to the Bosphorus. 1t now re-
mains to be seen whether the other powers will
sit idly by if Russia takes hand in the local
fight.
The situation Is quite a complicated one. Bull
garia is nominally a dependence of Turkey but
Prince Alexander puts himself in the attitude
of rebel by being party to the revolt in Rou-
melia- And still, by protesting his loyalty to
Turkey, he has antagonized and angered Rus
sia- Servia, which finds its power menaced by
the Bulgarian movement, might welcome a
Russian alliance, but its interests would oppose
Russian encroachments in the peninsula, and
in this opposition to Russia it is backed by
Austria and Germany. The future depends on
the czar. and his action Is awaited with intense
solieitude. If he were TO order the invasion of
Bulgaria IL is almost certain that the step
would lead TO a general European war.
Taking their cue from THE STARS recent
suggestion that the four hundredth annver-
sary of the discovery of America be properly
celebrated by the people of the United States,
the stockholders of the Chicago Exposition
Company, at their annual meeting held on
Saturday, adopted a resolution looking to the
holding of great worlds fair in that city in
1892. With little agitation of the subject
there can be no doubt that the occasion will be
properly commemorated in many places. But
The great demonstration ought to be made by
Or organized under the authority of the general
government, acting for and in behalf of the
people of the whole country, and the one place
Of all others for such demonstration is the
national capital. Congress should therefore
take the matter in hand and secure the neces-
sary preliminary action in regard to it early in
the approaching session. This Is measure
upon which the people of all parties and of all
sections of the country will be in perfect accord.
Riel. the fanatic-crank who led the halfbreed
rebellion in the northwest, hanged to-
day as a traitor and murderer. His fate has ex-
cited a good deal OF pity In this country but
from legal standpoint he has forfeited his
life and Ii Is hard TO see wherein lies his special
claim to clemency. His alleged insanity is too
closely allied TO the Guiteau type to win
much sympathy in this locality.
King Thebaws war with Great Britain does
not start out very prosperously for his Burmese
Highness. His navy, which consisted of one
ship, has been captured by f1otilla of steam
launches, proving that Britannia still rules the
banks of the Irawadi.
Ex-senator Sharon's dying directions to his
lawyers TO keep up the fight against the Hill
woman who claims TO be his wife would seem to
be a great waste of breath when breath was
worth something. Did he or any body else ever
hear of lawyers letting go of a case as long as
there were million dollars more behind it?
Mackin, the Chicago balot-box stuffer finds
the iron gates of the penitentiary closing upon
him. His appeal to the supreme court OF Illi-
nois from the sentence of five years imprison-
ment, passed upon him by the lower court has
been denied, and IT now seems unlikely that he
can escape by any technicality. Certainly, he
should not, for his guilt is proven and his crime
belonged to a class which cannot be tolerated if
we are TO deserve the name of a republic
Judge Vincent talks pretty we'll for a man
whose head is cut of.