The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-01

the victory greatly aiding the Greeks
in achieving their independence.
AS the Christian powers have adj
vanced the Turkish empire has CORE
spondingly retrogressed. 1t has been
shorn of more and more of its territory
in each century for the past 300 years
until it is now protected only by its own
weakness, while it inspires no suspicion
or dread and has become an object
more of pity than of fear, yet sufficient
ly powerful as mischief maker to set
all Europe ablaze from one end to the
other.
Take the Crimean war for example.
Turkey dates her admission into the
political system of Europe only from
1840-1 and has been associated in polite
society for scarcely 60 years. 1t came
about somehow that the integrity of
Turkey became a cardinal principle
of European diplomacy This was
strengthened by the coalition of Eng
land, France and Sardinia with Turkey
against Russia, resulting in the Crime
an war, the discontinue of Russia and
the naturalization of the Black sea by
| the treaty of Paris, 1856. France and
England fought shoulder to shoulder
with Turkey in the Crimea, but in 1860
| a French army and an English fleet
| were obliged to interfere to bring to
an emu the massacre OF Onr1SIldllS at
Damascus and in the Lebanon.
The Moslem invaders of France were
turned back more than a thousand
years ago; from Austria 200 years ago;
Turkeys naval prestige was destroyed
800 years ago; her territorial disintegra-
| ton began more than 40 years ago,
with the rise of the Danubian princi-
palities. Servia gained her independ-
| ence more than 80 years ago. Since
ro,ria mi, I,rax III
! lowed after her, together with several
minor affairs, all carved from territory
that had at one time been the Turk s.
| Yet the "Sick Man of the East still
| sits astride the Bosporus, holding the
key to the eastern situation and snap
ping his fingers in the face of Europe!
/ While France was incapacitated by
the war with Germany from rendering
aid to the porte Russia endeavored to
gain the ground lost by the treaty of
| Paris and in 1871 abrogated the articles
restricting her operations in the Black
sea. A few years later Turkey virtual
| ly lost control of Egypt by her conces-
sions to the khedive, who became al
most an absolute ruler, and in 1876, the
Turkish empire being seemingly threat
ened with ACKNOWLEDGMENT, the five
powers who had signed the treaty of
| Paris proposed a scheme of reforms,
which the sultan accepted as to the let
/ ter, but violated in spirit.
| ReYolts in Herzegovina were followed
by atrocious maSsacres of Christians by
| the Turks and the murder of the
| French and German consuls at Salon
| lea. Then followed the Russo-Turkish
| war, the ostensible cause of which was
| Russian interest in the porte's Chris
| tan subjects, though the true cause
probably was Russian desire to acquire
/ territory in the Balkan peninsula and
ultimate possession of Constantinople
| After repeated repulses the Russians,
with the aid of the Roumanians, were
| finally victorious at Plevna- They
crossed the Balkans, captured one
Turkish army at Shipka, routed anoth-
er and in January, 1873, entered Adri-
anople.
| AS the porte had already begun to
negotiate for peace, the treaty of San
Stephano was signed in March, 1873, by
which Russia obtained practically all
| she asked for at the time. This was,
| however, subjected to review and modi-
fcation at the Berlin congress of the
powers the following June-July. That
| congress at Berlin in 1878 set a seal
upon the sentiment quoted at the open
ing of this article-t1at Turkey is a
necessary evil, to be endured for diplo-
| matte reasons; that is, that she is nee
essary to preserve the balance of power