Year: 1878

tranquility. hence arose In the mlnu
of the Pope a violent aversion-not,
of course, to the spirit of mercy
in which he had dealt gently with
the disturbers of the State but certainly
to all liberal tendencies in thought and to
all movements that indicated disposition
to rely upon human reason for the solution
of any difficulties whatever.


Liberalism from the new mental stand
point thus reached was only o specious
AMI seductive name for heinous
the Pope became the EXTREMIST foe of the
very spirit of the age, and thus fell readily
into those extravagances of ecclesiastical
opinion that have their full and final ex-
preston in the syllabus and in the dogma
of the Pope's infallibility; for it follows
logically that if church holds that the So
luton of doubts by the individual intellect
leads only to confusion and to plunging
the world ever deeper and deeper into error,
it must supply rs a substitute some point
for the ending. and determination Of all
doubts, and that that point must be the
head of the Church. Hence the Roman
negation of reason in reasoning age.


England's Doubts and Russta's De-


mands.


The cutting of the telegraph lines con-
Meeting Constantinople with the outer
world, except by that via Alexandria, creates
the curious condition of doubt that now
prevails in England regarding the situation
in the East 1t is absolutely the case that
the British government is now endeavoring
to solve difficult political problem without
having one reliable factor for its calcula-
tions. The spirit awakened in England by
the reported advance of the Russians on
C6nstantinople and the occupation of the
city is, of course, intensely patriotic, but it
is marked by change OF feeling toward
Turkey, which shows the real character
of British interest in the war. Now,
when it is suspected that the conquered has
thrown himself entirely on the generosity Of
the conqueror, and ignores the wordy
consolation and advice of England, which
has been freely rendered to the Porte in
lieu of the material assistance he was
led to. expect, the Turk is forgotten, his
fate not considered, and tits British interests
alone that must be looked out for. But in the
meantime the willy Russian has not stayed
his march for protocol or. preliminary Of
peace. He is at Constantinople to all in
tents and purposes and dictates terms that
cannot be rejected. He demands the occu-
patton of the Black Sea coast of Turkey
nearly down to Varna and another strip near
the Bosphorus still another on the Sea of
Marmora and, to crown all, o sea front
on the "tideless Egean" itself The latter is
the full realization Of Russian longings for
an outlet to the Mediterranean. 1t gives
check to Besika Bay and almost menaces
Port Said. Besides, it is at the mouth Of the
Martha River Valley and at the terminus
of the railroad from Adrianople to the sea.
If Russia can hold these positions for her
own purposes she has made tremendous
stride in this war-one that places her at
once on the list of Mediterranean Powers.
The report that the British feet is ordered
to enter the Dardanelles suggests that Eng
land is at last stung to action but action
now is of little avail. The Russian bear is
in Constantinople, and war with England
will only make his stay there permanent.