The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-05-20

sian regency which has complete contro
OF the Young hlackguard Of a prince
recently converted TO the Russian faith
The country is governed by Russian laws
Its army is offcered by Russians. It's
formal annexation TO Russia would not
he long delayed but for the active OPP
position OF Roumania hacked by the
moral, and no doubt with the assurance
OF the physical, support OF Austro-h Hun
gary. Roumania, through which ana
along whose southern border runs the
Danube, has ordered big naval arina-
men, to defend the Danube ANA her own
territory, as well as her rights In the
Black sea. from Russian encrOaehment
As Roumania separates Russia from
Bulgaria and controls the mouths OF tho
Danube, her hostility to the annexation
OF the latter is likely to prove an OBJ
stacle to the scheme not easy 70 over
come,
But all obstacles must yield AZ length
to the persistence with which Russia
avais herself OF every opportunity to
push her policy OF controlling the outlet
OF the Black sea upon the Mediterranean.
She has been moving slowly TO that end.
as she has been moving slowly toward
the establishment Of her Sscend0ncy In
the Orient, with the slow, nOiSclcss,
slipping, inch by inch, OF glacier" 10
quote an English writer, Neither force
nor diplomacy can turn her aside from
her fixed purpose. She may pause In
the face OF obstacles, but she pauses only
to await her opportunity. Ana she has
this enormous advantage over all her
opponents, that she operates trom in-
terror lines, and that within the vast en-
trenchments Of her SHOWS and deserts
she can prepare in secrecy to strike when
her time shall come for any objective
point on her frontiers, and TO strike with
any force which may be needed TO Sc
cure her objects. Her whole game OF
diplomacy has been and continues to
be played with single eye to her
eventual control Of the sea outlets OF her
vast inland empire. AS the result OF
her intrigues her influence Is all powerful
in China and In Turkey, anq step by
step she is advancing to the goal OF her
The material progress OF Russia within
the last twenty years has bene amazing
for a despotism which suppresses the
freedom and the individual aspirations,
which are the chief incentive OF national
progress. Within the next twenty years.
or perhaps within the next decade. with
the aid OF her great transcontinental
railway. she will make stin more tre-
mendous strides. Napoleon predicted
that within the coming century Europe
would be all Cossack or all Republican.
She will dominate Asia before she domi-
mates Europe. Turkey will soon be a
Russian province and China a dependent
vassal OF the car. The forces that will
ESilueE huSsld anu utNuoTue llt COloSSdi
power which menaces the world will
come. not from the armies or the navies
OF her enemies. but from within; from
the slumbering aspirations for liberty
and the smouldering fires Of discomfort
with the existing absolutist regime,
which are destined to grow with the
growth OF her civilization and with her
material development. Although few
signs OF It now appear upon the surface.
except in the fierce and bloody protests
Of nihilism against the existing order.
Russia is undoubtedly destined to be the
theater OF the most tremendous political
revolution OF modern times. And the
prediction OF Napoleon will come true.
The Cossack. in his struggle for liberty,
will make Russia and then Europe re-
publican.