Very strong fears are entertained that we shall shortly be seriously involved once more in the Near Eastern question. Tt seems indeed almost too much to hope a Bulgarian war will be avoided and it cannot be said that Mr. Balfour's utterances on the subject have inspired us with confidence as to the wisdom with which Great Britain's interests will be safeguarded in such an event. A few days hwfore Parliament rose, Mr. Balfour, re~ plying to a question in the House of Commons, expressed the opinion that the nce of criminality" rested with the insurgents. Then the \es"" special correspondent lately in Macedonia addressed a letter to that journal in which, on the basis of personal experience, he strongly controverted Mr. Balfonr's view, casting the whole blame upon the Turks. No doubt, there have been acts of barbarity on both sides; but: there is certainly strong evidence that no attempt has been made by Turkey to ry out the reforms to which she pledged herself, and that the present re-Yolutionary movement. is the inevitable and. justifiable result. of Turkish misgovernment and duplicity. Happily no one has disputed the right or the expediency of the demands which Russia has made upon T turkey in consequence of the murder of Russian Consuls.
If the
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.