New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-14
biggest bore of his period. What else Is an
augllr than bore:
At THE IRON GATES, AND BEYOND.

AT THE IhON GhIL'>, Avn DH1C
The openlng of the Iron Gates Of the Danube
was an incident Of great commercial Importance
'rhere f. however, reason to believe that its p0-
lltlcal importance or the political Importance OF
movements of which 1t was the climax ana eX-
positIon. will prove to be still greater. The ex-
termination uf the Armenans and the Gar
snectacular tour have Overshadowed all else TO
tho publIc gaze. and have made men forget that
there Is any other Power than Russia III So"'h-
eastern Europo The fact Is there Is another
powcr-and n gre 1t one tOO-hoste to Russia.
phenomenally successful in diplomacy and III
such territorial extension as L has undertaken
and governed by one OF the sllrewdest and wises'
sovereIrns and some OF the ablest Ministers III
all the world
Austrla Hungary has long had close relations
with Rumania 50 that the latter has often peeh
called, half jestingly. the fourth member OF the
Triple Alliance On the occasion of the opening
of the Iron Gates. and the Emperor's visit 10
Rumana, however. 1t was publicly made KNOWN
in the most unmstakable manner that the TWO
Powers were practically hard and fast aihes
forming a sort Of Dual League or their OWL
What that means may be perceived when II Is
remembered that Rumanla extends from Hun
gary to the Black Sea. forming n complete land
barrier between Russia and the Balkan States:
that she has an army second only In size but
fully equal in discipline. equipment ana Vhlof'
10 those of the Great Powers: that the cohstruc
ton of a powerful navy is proceeding on the
lower reaches of the Danube. and that Bucharest
is probably the strongest city-fortress on the
whole Continent.
Nor IS that all On the same occasion Servia
executed an emphatic rght-about face. For some
years that Kingdom has been looking to Russia
for friendship and sympathy. Now 1t turns Dack
to It's former and more natural ally, Austria-
Hungary, and renews its close relations Win
that Empire. Greece also makes II pam ihai
an understanding exists between II ana TIE
Dual Empire. and that there Is close sympath!
between Athens and Vienna. No less sigrlncaht
Is the situation In Bulgaria Prince Ferdinand
was cOnspcuousy absent from the ceremony az
the Iron Gates. for the very good reason that he
was not invited TO attend Thus was Austro-
Hungarian displeasure toward him. because Oh
his trucking TO Russia. made plain. to his great
modification. That dspleasurc does not. how
ever extend to the Bulgarian people. as they are
well aware. Their sympathes are inclining more
and more away from Russia and toward Austrla-
Hungary, and they are now seriously diSaitected
toward their Prince. They are fighting nm Wig
orolsly in Parliament and In the Ministry. ana
have succeeded thus FAR in fhwarting many OF
his pro- Russap designs Well-lnformcd observ-
ers nre now wondering whether Ferdinand Will
break with Russia and be a trme bulgarian
patriot. or vii! abdica!e his throne.
SO Austro-lIungaran influence IL In the as
cendant all through those regions. That may
not prevent Russia from getting Constantnopl".
But 1t will probably insure Austria Hungary
getting Salonica. and goodly strip Of territory
from Herzegovina down the Vardar Valley to
| the Egean Sea. That would leave the northern
part OF Albania to Montenegro. and the southern
part, with Western Macedonia. 10 Greece kus-
| sla NAV. doubtless viii. get Constantine ana
Gallipoli. making her land approach to them by
WAY OF Asia Minor. But she will have Rumanih
guarding the Black Sea end Of the Straits and
Greece and Austra-IIungary the Egcan end:
and n general federation OF the Balkan states.
| not necessarily hostile 10 Russia. but NJ l'as,
| hostile to any further aggressions by her upon
| their territory or their independence That *
| the present outlook In Southeastern Europe. made
| convlnclngly clear by the incident AZ the Iron
Gates.