Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-30
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WHITE CZAR NEVER SLEEPS.
Significant Moves of Russian Troops
on India's Border.
Philadelphia Times.


II the Russian troops have advanced from
Turkestan into Western Afghanistan and oc-
cupied Herat, as announced from Vienna
yesterday, an overt act has been committed
that can only have one Interpretation, name
ly: Russia has decided upon an outlet to the
Indian ocean, as a prelude TO her campaign
against British India.
In passing the Afghan frontier, Russia
crossed the rubicon!
The great and final struggle between
Briton and Russ for Hndoostan is on,
Inch by inch, mile by mile, Russia has
pushed her frontier line around the Aral
sea, across the Kizzil Kun to the Oxus, then
southwark, as by a flying wedge to Penjdeh.
Khiva was taken by assault in 1873. Kauff-
mann next turned eastward and captured
Bokhara, then Samarcand and Tashkent
Kuldja was ravished from Mongolia two
years before the emperor of China knew the
fact. Merv of the desert was soon occupied
and the Transcaspian railway under the
impulse of Russian engineers and Ameri-
can locomotives was going eastward at the
rate OF five miles a day to effect a junction
with the troops. At Askabad it touched the
Persian frontier, but carefully avoiding tres
pass, pushed on to the Merry and finally to
Bokhara. The road had to be built across
thousand miles of sandy desert on which not
spear of grass grew or a well of water
existed for hundreds OF miles at time The
great white czar never slept. He was always
moving on!
Siberia was already his. Not so long ago.
he invaded Manchuria, on the Chinese coast
and today his arbitrary empire, like can
GER, is eating it's way into the vitas of the
middle kingdom
Since 1899 England has tried many times
to ally herself to the Afghans. But the
people on 1.-The roof of the world" have al
ways preferred Tartar to Anglo Saxon. They
have massacred many Englishmen since 1899
the days of Dost Mohammed, the ablest
ruler that Central Asia has known since
Ahmed Khan. The Khyber pass has been the
place OF sacrifice for British soldiers for half
century, True, England has conquered
the Puniaub, but she holds II by tenure
of doubt. Her agents are potent at Canda-
har and are tolerated tentatively at Cabul,
though they are killed in cold blood when
they become tiresome, England has en-
ployed, alternately policy of brilliant ag-
gression and one of supine indifference.
More brave men have won the Victoria cross
on the northwestern frontier OF India than
in any other part OF the earth II we re-
member Alright, one woman, an officers
widow, there secured the famous reward Of
individual heroism In the face of enemies
OF imperial England The alliance with the
Afghan emlr has been ION and off. like
coquette's engagement in marriage. The
temper of the Afghans is at this hour
friendly to Russia,
Taking advantage OF the South African
embodiment into which Great Britain has
pushed herself Russia has challenged her
natural foe. The hour has come In which
to ayenge the Crimean humiliation and the
more CALLING defeat of Russia's ambitions in
1877 when the mlnarets of Constantlnople
were in sight.
When all these things are recalled the
grave Importance OF the Russian advance
toward the Indus and the Indian ocean is
understood. The czar selects this time to
advance his frontier line another step, and
now Russ and Turkoman muster side by
side. 40 zas a