The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-03-11

fellow Christians and countrymen on the
island to the mercy (D of the barbarous
Turks. Troops are hurrying forward
from Greece to the scene Of excitement and
the Turkish army is also moving in large
masses in the same direction Unless
something Unforeseen happens conflict
between the two last named powers is in
evitable and without outside assistance
Greece will hardly be able to hold her own
against the great odds opposed to her.
Public opinion, however, in Great Britain,
France and Italy is II most potent factor
in these days of enlightenment, and not
withstanding the attitude OF these gov
ernments is hostile to Greece it Is very
probable that in Difference to the popular
will they may recede from the extreme
position they have taken. Russia and Ger
many, however, especially the emperor of
the last named country, seem determined
to thwart the plans of Greece and throw
back the hands upon the daly of progress
Cor half century or more. Should pub
lie opinion in Great Britain and France !
assert ltse.., it may happen that the latter
country will abandon It's alliance with
Russia and join hands with Great Britain
IL holding the Turks in check. In tb'.t
case unless Germany and Russia rcccdc
from the position they have taken there
would be bloody war, with these two
powers and possibly Austria on the side
CT the Moiammedans, nnd Great Britain,
France anti Italy on the Side of the
Greeks, who as matters now stand repre-
sent the cause of CHRISTIANITY in Europe
and Asia. A general ACKNOWLEDGMENT of
the Ottoman empire is believed by those
we'll acquainted with the situation to be
near ut hand and it is only the inevitable
scramble among the Christian powers 81
Europe for thu spUi!s that has postponed
the conflict thus far. England as the
great representative of Christianity can
not afford much longer to support the
sultan's totteriI throne, especially as
the recent rapid advance Of Russia to-
wards her possessions in India have shown
that nstantinople is not the key to the
situation in the East. The trans Siberian
railroad is rapidly nearing completion
and the Cossacks in southern Asia are
already looking with longing eyes upon
the wealth of the Indies, the possession of
which has long been the greatest desire
of every Russian ruler from Peter the
Great to the present time. The time for
the death grapple between England and
the Car with India as the object of the
tremendous contest has not yet arrived;
but that this is also one of the inevitable
events of the future, all who have noted
the ti1eless march of Russia in the direc-
ton of the goal of her an, bition must ad.
nit. What the result IF that struggle
will be and what other peoples and pow
ers will be drawn into the final contest
human wisdom cannot foresee; but that
it will be attended by consequences of the
greatest moment TO civilization and pro-
gress is also as evident as is the fact that
the great conflict is bound to come. At
present, however, the fate of Christianity
in Turkey is the issue which must be de-
termined and the attitude of Greece in
this connection is worthy of the brightest
days in her past history, when with mere
handful of men she successfully resisted
the advance of the conquering Persians
and drove back in dsmay and confusion
the countless hordes of Xerxes and other
Eastern kings.
C'rL, I1NI'S