Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-19
AN EXPLANATION OF THE EAST
ERN PUZZLE.
The Complications OF the BulgarO.
ROumeIian Question

Fro m the New York Herald.
We have received a large number of letters
asking US to explain what the trouble is all
about and what is likely to be the outcome of
1t. 1t seems strange to many that a second rate
quarrel in half dozen insignificant provinces
should set all Europe ablaze with excitement.
Apparently the effect is much greater than the
cause.
Let us look at the problem. In the south
eastern corner OF Europe is large sized hor-
nets nest. Roumania, Bulgaria, Eastern
Roumelia, Servia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece
with the sultan at Observation-Disclosures are the
hornets which have stung the great powers
into madness many q time, and are so likely at
any moment to do it again that the powers are
in q chronic state of nervous petulance.
The Russian Empress Catherine III. in IVA
wrung from the conquered Turks a concession
which lies at the root of the whole difficulty.
The porte-that is, the government of Turkey
was compelled to allow the members of the
Greek church perfect religious freedom, and the
EmprOr Nicolas, grandfather of the present
car, claimed that this meant the right of
Russia to protect all members of the Greek
church which is the national church of Russia
in any place over which Turkey held the suZe-
rainty.
As very large proportion of the population
of the provinces above named belong TO the
Greek church, Russia exercises a surveillance
over the whole Of the European part of the
Turkish empire. Russian spies or emissaries
or ministers or agents are to be found every
where, and they are working for Russian inter-
ests, both openly and secretly. The emperor
wants Constantinople. Constantinople is the
birthplace of the Greek church 1t is to the
east what Rome is to the west. Besides the i'm
mense commercial and military value of the
city, the people of Russia reverence the spot and
have profound hatred for the Moslem power
which holds it. 1t is the dream of Russia to
command the bOsphorus, and her religious zeal
or lanatIc1sm may some day make the dream a
reality.
1t is for the interest of Russia to foment
quarrels among these provinces, to badger,
compromise, perplex the sultan, because at the
right moment she may step in as "a peacemaker
and SO gain larger control.
When Bulgaria absorbed Eastern Roumelia
1t was like applying a match to a haystack.
Why should Bulgaria have Eastern Roumelia
and Servia have nothing: There land on
from her by the Turk, and now the time
to get 1t back. Bulgaria herself was in possess
sion of a few hundred square miles of land
stolen from Seryia and now was the time to
compel her to give them up. The Servian
troops crossed the frontier, and, rather than
fight, the Bulgarians made a compromise and
concession. Then Greece, too flew TO arms and
declared that Turkey had robbed her of a part
OF the old Greek family estate. and that il must
be returned or there would be trouble. She
ground her sword and started for the frontier.
The A1banians are quiet just now, but If
Turkey takes the field they will not remain
And as for the Montenegrns, amid their rocky
Businesses, they have been despoiled oppressed
and maltreated by the Turks for centuries, and
| at the right moment they will know where and
| how to hit.
In every one of these provinces there is bitter
guilty of Turkey in times past The people are
on the alert for an opportunity to revenge them.
When the clock strikes the hour they will un.
! sheath their swords, every one OF them, and
! the sultan will have very hard reckoning
] with his brave and reckless enemies. Whether
! the clock will strike that hour soon cannot yet
be fOretOld; but when it does strike there will
! be blood on the ground. That is the situation.
1t will never do for the great powers to allow
Russia to have her own way. 1t would give
| her too much influence in Europe. So Austria
meets Russia at kremsier and Alexander and
Josef have a conference. but what they agreed
| upon can be found out only through what hap
pens. Bismarck and the sultan seemed to un-
derstand each other. and the latter is possibly
acting under the advice of the former.
1t is combination game of chess by old,
sharp, shrewd players. He who wins will
| take the observation-disclosures. But ii is
| likely to be long game, and the checkmate
will not occur i'll our time. Alexander moves
pawn and threatens Austria. Austria meets
| the threat and menaces Russia. Bismarck syly
! puts his knight into an unexpected place, and
both Russia and Austria stop to discover what
he is after. The sultan has so much interest in
| the game that he is confused, and is just as
] likely to make a bad move as good one. He
is poor player at best and is sure to lose in the
| end.