Graham guardian., 1903-09-18
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER ls, 1908
EUROPEAN WAR.

From late dispatches war on
large scale appears inevitable il
Southeastern Europe, every piec
of intelligence which comes to han'
tending to confirm the opinion
that il is only question of tim
when il shall break out in all il
ruthlessness That it cannot b'
longer postponed is the conviction
Of all vino are best acquainted
with the condition of affairs in The
Balkan provinces.
The attempted murder of Unitcc
States Vice Consul Magelssen a
Beirut is regarded as a symptoma.
tic Of an impending calamity, in
dicati0ns Of which have beon late
lv so numerous that it would be
folly to uuderraie their gravity and
significance. Ii history teaches
anything concerning the eastern
question, it is that such events as
have lately occurred are but pre-
mouitory rumblings Of the volcano
before an eruption which is des-
tined 10 overwhelm tho Turkish
provinces in Europe. The recent
assassinations and outrages read
like The chapttr Of history of 1876
when the German and French con-
suls at Salonica were attacked and
murdered, when wave Of religi-
Gus and patriotic agitation, of poll
tical disquiet, of barbaric fury
passed over the Turkish empire,
and when the Bulgarian massacrcs
sont thrill Of horror through the
civilized world.
No one would be he least sur
priscd at . repetition of these ap-
palling atrocities, yet no one, least
of all the powers most nearly con-
cerned, seems prepared to take
any active measures to prevent its
occurrence.
Contrastcd with the supineness
Of the European governments, the
Sultan's energetic mobilization of
his army compels admiration, how
ever detestable may be the fruits
of bis "barbarous, anarchic despo-
tism," as Burke called Ottoman
tyranny in his day.
Paper reforms, diplomatic re-
monstrances, European notes-all
the futile absurdities of thirty
years ago, are being trotted out
again, while fire and sword are at
this very moment devastating this
sorely tried corner Of Europe. ItI
only remains for the Balkan pro-
vinees to he deluged with blood |
for the parallel to be exact be-
tween tho present state of things
and that which preceded the
Russo Turkish war.
In the Berlin Congress which
followed that war, England, under
Beacons6eld and Salisbury, adopt
ed a policy which many consider
largely responsible for the exist
ing complications. The attempt
to reserve for the Sultan IA military
existence in countries which had
passed from under his general
control was futile, and it is now
recognized that the best barrier
against Russian influence consisted
not in the division, but in the con-
solidation OF the States rescued
from Ottoman dominion. Lord
himself was forced to
admit toward the end of his life
that thu British in backing Tur-
key bad, as he expressed it, "pnt
their money on the wrong horse"
What part Great Britain will
take in future developments, it is
to surmise, since all
that Premier Balfour has told the
Commons is that the government
will support Russia aud Austria in
heir endcavor to improve Turkish
administration, but ii seems pretty
lear that Turkish interests will
4t.t~ka.regarded IN future with 80
sympathetic au eye as they were
y the Gays of the Berlin Congress.
4