Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-10-03
Italy and Turkey.


as to the probable outcome of the
trouble between Italy and Turkey, as
we see it the opinions of the best in
formed and most experienced states
men of the world even can be but lit
tie better than irresponsible guesses.
When two men get to fighting in a
back lot full of rowdies, the chances
are always in favor Of others becom-
ing involved before the trouble Is set
tied and there Is no question of the
fact that the mood of the European
nations just now is about as ugly as
anything that has ever been seen in
a back lot on salesday.
For one thing, there is not a state in
Europe, excepting England and possi-
bly, Switzerland, which is satisfied
with it's present boundaries. or which
believes that it's present boundaries in
clude all the territory to which it is
entitled. England Is satisfied only be-
cause her boundaries are fixed by ma
ture, and Switzerland is satisfied be-
cause the disposition of her people has
always been peaceful so long as they
were let alone. She does not want any
land other than that which is now rec
ognized as hers, but she stands ready
to defend every foot Of that.
Turkey has long been known as the
sick man" of Europe, a name given
by Car Nicholas I. Of Russia, because
the once powerful empire seemed to be
on the verge of disintegration. The
strong hands that had built the en-
pire originally out of a heterogeneous
collection of restless nations had grad
ually become too weak to hold the
country together, and Nicholas pro-
posed to Sir G. Hamilton Seymour, the
British minister at st. Petersburg, to
divide up the sick mans goods The
proposal did not suit England just
then. No one need think for moment
that it was because of scruples; but
her statemen, very jealous Of the pow
er Russia had already acquired in a
remarkably short space of time, were
fearful of what might follow the aug
mentation of Russian power by the
acquisition of additional seaports on
the Bosphorus and the Adriatic. 1t
will be remembered that the Crimean
war was fought mainly for the pur-
pose of preventing Russia from des-
polling the sick man." and when Rus
sia actually licked Turkey in 1876
England and other powers stepped in
and kept Russia from reaping the
fruits of her victory. There was not
much to it except jealousy, and when
the Turks were held i'm leash as they
were fiogging Greece a few years ago,
the reason was that the European
powers do not propose that Turkey
shall be allowed to grow any stronger.
That only a few years back the 9TH
er powers of Europe would not have
permitted Italy to interfere with Tur-
key even in Tripoli is quite certain.
They would not have been willing to
take the risk of dsrupting Turkey. 1t
is not certain that they desire such a
thing now; but it is evident that there
is not so much concern about 1t as
formerly. Then again the alignments
of few years back have been chang
ed. Under former conditions Ger
many, Austria and Italy were bound
together professedly for the preserva-
ton of the peace of Europe. Russia
and France also had an alliance, and
England stood alone in a position
where she could play one alliance
against the other. But within the past
few years England has joined France
and Russia against the other three
powers, and the significance of the line
up is very much changed.
AS to how much truth there is in the
news, we do not know; but dispatches
say that both Germany and Austria
are quite impatient at the trouble their
ally, Italy, is making. They are not
directly interested; but they very cas-
lily see what the consequences may be.
The Turkish province of Crete wants
to go back to Greece, Macedonia wants
to cut loose from Turkey; Armenia
would like to have greater civil secur-
ity, and other peoples are alive to the
opportunity to be free. England, it is
to be assumed, can no longer antagon-
ize her ally, Russia, in such designs
as she may still have against Turkey,
and between all these considerations
it would seem that the situation offers
quite a number of possibilities for
trouble.
While of course Turkey is practical
ly without a navy and while she has
but little money, it must not be as