Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-08-15


Youths Pushed Ahead of Veterans
General Foreign News.
Recent debate in parliament on the arm,
estimates has brought out some interest
ing facts. Although promotion in The
British army is no longer obtained by pur
chase, it is still retained III the hands Of
the aristocracy by methods that would give
points to an American politician. For in.
stance, during the past year some twenty
promotions to the rank of commissioned
officer was made from among the enlisted
men. This seemed all very good and en-.
couraging on the surface, but inquiry
shows that all these twenty officers are
young men Of arlstocrat:c families who
enlisted with the understanding and SUBJ
stantially the promise that, after brief
period in the RANKS, they would be pro-
NOTED. This is not very stimulating to
veterans who find themselves put under
the orders of callow youths from the uni
verslties. The fact is that the whole sys-
tenn of civil and military promotion in
England is delusive. While competition
is nominally open to every class, conditions
are attached which practically contine ap-
pointments to the upper orders.
The condition of tho British army and
navy is Of much Importance just now when
history is repeating itself in the east.
Armenia is another Bulgaria, and as Turk
ish atrocities in Bulgaria were the pretext
for the Russo Turkish war, SO the out
RACES in Armenia may give another pre-
text to Russia for interference in the af-
fairs of the sultan's DOMAIN. The Turk
seems to learn nothing by experience. All
that the christian subjects of Turkey ask
is decent government. As it is they are
victlmized in such an inhuman manner
that the better sentiment even of England
is aroused in favor of the oppressed popu-
lations and the car is enabled to pose as
the champion of humanity in Carrying out
his schemes of aggression. The story of
the Armenian atrocities is only beginning
to be told. The christian population Of
Erzeroum is wailing, not alone for fathers
and brothers slain, but for wives and
daughters missing. Since the day of the
terrible massacre scores of Armenian women
have disappeared and there is no doubt
that they are prisoners in Turkish harems
Among the Russian forces on the Asiatic
frontier are several Armenian regiments,
and it is reported that the men are wild
with ardor to march against the Turks.
Bulgaria has offered to sustain Turkey
with $4,000 men in the event of war.
meeting of the members Of parliament
interested in the condition of Armenia was
held III the conference rooms of the house
sc,
reaches here from Constantinople it is
learned that matters are fast assuming a
critical complexion. War material is con-
stantly pouring into Batoum by night as
we'll as by day, and Clifford Lloyd, British
consul general at Erzeroum, has tee-
graphed to the British embassy at Con
stantinople that the Turkish garrisons in
Armenia should be strengthened. Brig
andage all over the Turkish empire has ex-
tended to an alarming extent. 1t arises
from the visibly increasing poverty of the
masses of the population. In the imre-
dlate vicinity of Constantinople brigands
have made their appearance in strong
bands and carried off several captives.
Most distressing accounts come from
salonica, where, in three of the districts,
the harvest is total loss, no rain having
fallen in fourteen months. The conse-
quence is general restitution aud want. 1t
is estimated that nearly 100000 persons
will have TO be furnished with the means
OF subsistence until next harvest and the
necessary seed for their next sowing. I'm
less immediate measures are taken to re-
lleve The people the country will be given
over to anarchy and disease, which may be
turned to political account.