The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-05
The Balkan Crisis.

The European powers. members OF that
interesting body the concert OF Europe,
have made up their minds that 1t Is about
time to take some decisive action to pro-
tect their legations at Constaninople, at
least, since an uprising menaces the sui
tan's capital.
It is announced by our minister at Con-
stanunople that some Of the powers
have landed about 200 marines there for
protective purposes and. If necessary, our
government, with the consent Of the
Porte, will send there a marine guard for
the same purpose.
Under the London convention Of 1871,
the powers abolished the clause Of the
treaty Of Paris OF 1856, which neutralized
the Black Sea, and imposed very severe
conditions upon Russia, and allowed
Turkey to open the Dardanelle and the
Bosporus to the ships Of friendly and al
lied powers whenever their presence APP
peared to be necessary for the mainten-
ance of the treaty" It was under this
arrangement that Lord Beasonsf1eld In
1878, when the Russians had approached
within sight Of the dome Of st. Sophia in
Constantinople, ordered the English fleet
to the foot Of the Dardanelles and. with
that threat. broke up Russia's San Stefano
treaty with Turkey.
The powers have been allowed by the
sultan to send marines up the Dardanelles
because he sees that, in protecting their
legations, the marines will Incidentally
afford additional protection to his own
person from his own conspiring subjects.
Under the stipulations of the treaty of
Paris no armed intervention in Turkish
affairs can take place without previous
agreement between the parties to the
treaty, which are Great Britain, Sardinia,
(now Italy), Turkey, Russia and France.
Russia has practically torn up the
treaty, for she has violated nearly every
clause Of IT. Our government, not being
a party to it. yet has its rights as to the
protection Of it's interests while respecting
generally the authority Of the sultan as
warden Of the Dardanelles and Bosporus.
This wardshp, however, would be disre-
garded and rightly so, If there occurred a
massacre of American citizens or the MUIR
. OeE Ol ulIiSLeI LSlSllilldll VI dly COIlSulStl
officer, disregarded by the sultan. Oul
government has exercised it's protective
rights in sending a squadron to Beirut tc
secure indemnity for the assault upon on,
vice consul there, and 1t will see that
the promises Of the sultan to Investigate
the matter and give satisfaction, just re-
ported by the Turkish minister in Wash
rotary Hay is not the man to be BAN.
boozled by vaporous Turkish promises
generally evaded.
The Turkish question is getting upper.
most in European discussion and a Lon.
don cable states that what Is to be done
in Macedonia ?" is the question under
anxious consideration. The powers
parties to the Berlin treaty, know yer,
well what ought to be done In Mace
donia. In 1873 they all signed their names
to the treaty Of Berlin. which imposed
upon them the duty Of giving Macedonia
home rule under Christian governor
who would be under the protection Of tn
powers. They have in the most cowarD;
way shirked this positive duty and obi
cation. They are Sinking it now, alth
1t is an imperative duty, as much so a.
1t was in 1875 1t Is their duty now t.
compel the sultan to carry out the man
date.
Trouble is ahead for the powers becaus
they have permitted southeastern Europ
to remain under the accursed house o
Gilman, which Is an old body, craze
thru manifold vices, which lnger whe
youth and strength are decayed. Turke
has had her trial as an European powe
and has proved herself an unmitigate
curse to the subject peoples brought I'm
der her desolating crescent symbol.