The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-20
Explaining the Eastern Puzzle.


New York Herald.
In the southeastern corner of Europe is large
sized hornets nest Roumania Bulgaria, East
ern Roumelia, Servia Montenegro, Albania,
Greece, with the Sultan at Constantinople-thes
are the hornets which have stung the great pow
ers into madness many time, and are so likely
at any moment to do it again that the powers
are in chronic state of nervous petulance.
The Russian Empress Catherine II, in 1774,
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
Emperor Nicholas, grandfather of the present
Gar, claimed that this meant the right of Rus
sia to protect all members of the Greek Church.
which is the national church of Russia, in any
place over which Turkey held the suzerainty
AS a 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 emissares, or minis
ters, or agents are to be found everywhere, and
they are working for Russian interests both
openly and secretly. The Emperor wants Con-
stantinople. Constantinople is the birthplace of
the Greek Church. 1t is to the East what Rome
is to the West. Besides the immense CONNER
Russia reverence the spot, aud have profound
hatred for the Moslem power which holds it. 1t
is the dream of Russia to command the Bospho-
rus, and her religious zeal or fanaticism may
some day make the dream a reality.
1t is for the interest of Russia to fonent quar-
res among these provinces, to badger, compro-
mise perplex the Sultan, because at the right
moment she may step in as peace maker, and
SO gain a larger control
When Bulgaria absorbed Eastern Roumeia it
ike apDIylDp match to haVStack. WhV
should Bulgaria have Eastern Roumeia and Ser
via have nothingl There was land on the south
of Servla which had been wrenched from her by
the Turk, and now was the time to get it back
Bulgaria herself was in possession Of few hun
dred square miles of land stolen from Servia,
and now was the time to compel her to give
them up. The Servian troops crossed the from
tier and, rather than fight, the Bugarians made
a compromise and q concession Then Greece,
too, few to arms, and declared that Turkey had
robbed her OF part of the old Greek family
estate. and that it must be returned or the re
would be trouble. She ground her sword and
started for the frontier.
The Albanans are quiet lust now but if Tur-
key takes the field they will not remain quiet.
They, too. have wrongs to be redressed. And
as for the Montenegrins, amid their rocky fast
nesses, they have been despoilec. 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
memory of the immeasurable crimes and iniqulty
or Turkey in times past The people are on the
alert for an opportunity to revenge them. When
the clock strikes the hour, they will unsheath
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 conferences, bat what they agreed upon