The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-24
RUSSIA AND TURKEY.
ARDLY any feature of the relations OF the
RI great powers OF Europe to the anarchy that
prevails in the Balkans is more Interesting

II great powers OF Europe to the anarchy that
prevails in the Balkans is more interesting
than the attitude which Russia has taken friend
OF the Turk and opponent of the plans and
pirations of the Christians OF Macedonia and Bull
garia. For many year the Russians posed before
the world as champions OF oppressed Christianity
Ardent and Jealous souls in this country have prayed
earnestly for Russa's success in every battle be-
tween that power and the Turk Sanguine hearts
have cherished hope that within few years Rus
STA would drive the Turk out of Europe altogether
and give peace and freedom to the suffering limo
cents of Macedonia. To those earnest souls and
sanguine hearts there must be something almost
horrifying in the reports that now come from Eu-
announcing with emphatic reiteration that the
Russian Government has warned Bulgaria not to in
terere in Macedonia, but to leave the Sultan free
hand in the suppression of the instruction"
matter how much of slaughter the suppression may
require
The seeming inconsistency in the conduct OF the
Government at St. Petersburg is due solely to the
fact that the Russian policy has been judged in the
past mainly by words and not by deeds. Announ-
cling herself the champion of Christianity she has
sought to overthrow the Turk and establish herself
in Constantinople In times past was possible to
advance her imperial interests while championng
Christianity, and consequently it easy to speak
the Large, divine and comfortable" words that
arouse enthusiasm in the Christian masses of Amer
lea and of Western Europe. AT present it is no lon
ger possible to do so. Two Christian powers, at
present weak but very ambitious seeking to OBJ
tain the empire of the Turk; Bulgaria is fighting
for it in the north and Greece is intriguing for it
in the south. Should either Bulgaria or Greece win
the prize Russia will see her long cherished desire
for Constantinope baffed and beaten Therefore it
is that she no longer champions the Christians She
is for the Turk, and will uphold him until the time
when she can seize upon his kingdom in defiance OF
both Greece and Bulgaria
There some other considerations that doubt
less have their share in holding the Russian Govern
ment back from giving aid to the insurgents of the
Turkish empire. Among them is the revolt at this
very time of number of Armenian subjects of Rus
STA. 1t would not be impossible for Russian states
to give orders for the slaughter of Armenians in
Russia while at the time sending a formal
high-soundng protest to the Sultan against the
slaughter of Bulgarans in Turkey but the world
would laugh The publicity of our time has put an
end to that free and easy way OF regulating domes
tic politics principle while asserting the OPP
poste in foreign affairs Russia is, in fact doing
very much what the Turk is doing though on
smaller scale, and therefore finds sentimental as we'll
political reasons for unfolding the Turk and bid
ding Bulgaria keep the peace
While the Armenian movement in Russia is by
no means so formidable as that going on among the
Christians of Macedonia it is none the less quite
portentous uprising, and disurbs the empire much
more than those massacres OF Jews with which civ
ization has been ringing. 1t appears in fact that
the Armenians may yet undertake to fight and if
it is predicted by those familiar with the country
and the people the revolt will spread from province
to province and affect many millions of people
The trouble between Russia and her Armenian
subjects like that between the Sultan and the Mace
domains, is largely of religion The Russian
Government has been trying to force all Armenans
into the orthodox church, and to that end has seized
most of the Armenian church property The results
have been already serious and may become more so
at any time. The situation is so grave the Russian
Government has every to desire an early set
tlement OF the troubles in the Balkans at whatever
cost. For once the Gar and the Sultan have
mutual interest Christianity and liberty must wait