The Sunday herald., 1886-09-26

ployes, though we do not see how honesty
can be determined by competitive examina-
tions. |, would doubtless be a good thing -
give several classes Of employees more Sc.
cure tenure, and those who have the
handling Of letters could perhaps lie required
TO give bonds. But the first thing 10 be
done is for the Government to stop pleading
the baby act and undertake the proper re.
sponsibilties of carrier. Not until IL
makes good losses caused by the care
lessness or dishonesty Of its own employees
will the American postal servi begin TO be
one Of which self-respecting people can be
proud.
The progress OF events has brought the
Eastern question to position somewhat diff.
ficult TO understand. The key is hid
den in the secret purposes Of the Gar
and Prince Bismarck, or perhaps It were
safer to say Of Bismarck alone. Recent oc-
currepces in the Balkans have demonstrated
the growth Of healthy national aspirations
among the Bulgarian people. There is less
servility toward Russia, and more evident
demand for independence than might have
been expected. The Car has been strong
enough TO compel the abdication Of Prince
Alexander, but everything shows that the
Bulgarians aspire TO national life Of their
own, and are strongly opposed to being made
Russian province. As the same spirit ex.
lists in Ror mania and Servia, IL is possible
that the many years Of machin ations and
wars in which Russia has had for her object
the dismembe. .nent Of Turkey may not
have the desired result of extending the
Cars dominions to the Bosphorus. The
Russian autocrats, in encouraging the growth
OF these new nationalities, have taken too
little account Of the tendency Of the age
toward popular liberty and self.government.
The stern resistance Of these petty States
may yet be q more effectual barrier to Rus.
sian conquest than any which the decaying
Ottoman power could ever have opposed
On the other hand, We know that the German
and Russian despots care nothing for the
rights Of weak nations. Each of these great
predatory powers is seeking its own aggran-
disement. The manner in which Russia has
beeh allowed to bully Alexander looks
as If Russia and Germany had agreed upon
some division of spoils. But it is impossible
to foretell their exact programme. Ostensibly
the alliance is between the three Emperors,
but the position of Austria is probably gov.
erned more by necessity than choice, for her
interests in the Balkans are Numerically
opposed to those Of Russia. And 1t is quite
possible that, although Bismarck appears now
to be supporting Russia, he does not mean
that she shall gain any real step toward
Constantinople. He can feed the Cars
amor propre, by allowing him to kick Alex.
ander out of Bulgaria, without helping him
to secure any substantial advantage. Alto.
gether Germany appears to be more than
ever master of Europe. The ominous fea-
lures Of the situation are the isolation of
England, evident'v the result OF Bismarck s
policy, and the total incapacity Of France TO
either comprehend or adhere TO her natural
alliance, which is that with England. Bis
marck seems able at will TO embroil France
and England, and as the case now stands the
robber Emperors appear about ready to carry
out another crime like the partition Of Po.
land.