OCR Text |
Show THE PURPOSE OF ITALY. Thero are many foolish rumors from time to time about tho operations of the Italians in their war with Turkey. The news agencies, of course, report 1 to the best of their judgment and abil- ity, the accounts as thoy gather thorn while thej' are fresh. But among such people as the Turks, it is almost im- ( possible to get accurate dcws, and any' dispatch from Constantinople, while un-doubtedly un-doubtedly sent iu good faith by the , news agoneics and as near the truth ( as the news collectors can get, must necejsaril', by reason of tho character of tho Turkish news givers, be subject i to large discount. Thus, we were treated a little while ago to sensational accounts about the at. tack of the Italians upon the fortifica- tions of the Dardanelles, and also of the intention of the Italians to take possession of certain islands in the Aegean Sea. Tho report was damag- ing to the Italians iu the attack but in fact the damage was to the Turks: while as to the islauds it went ou to say that the principal islauds of tho l Aegean had been seized, among them, 'j the historic Lemnos, Tenedos, and Rhodes. Tho Italian Government, however, how-ever, disclaims any purpose to inter- j fcro with these islunda, has taken none of them, but has merely occupied one, Stampnlia, at the .entrance to tho Ac-geau Ac-geau Sea. This is a small island but a few miles square, with a populatiou '(j of about 2000. its occupation is no doubt temporary, aud for tactical reasons. rea-sons. The unlikolihood of any Italian purpose to embroil itseir wilh Greece I and the allies of Greece by uudertakina i to encroach upon the islands in the Ao gean Sea, is manifest. Such a course would alienate a good deal of sympathy 1 from tho Italians, and would arouse ai i live, strenuous opposition in many quarters. Besides, there would bo uotli-nig uotli-nig to gain by Italy in this course. while it would antagonize many inter J 'sta. Since, however, the Italiaus have but the single purpose in view, as announced, an-nounced, of the occupation and re- I dominion of Tripoli from the barbar- I oils, brutal rule that baa prevailed there for centuries, and Unit has bi-en actively ac-tively and .specially hostile to Italian N interests, the civilized world -au. we think, re&t content with the Italian assurance as-surance of its singleness of purpose. i An Italian gentleman of this city has U written to The Tribune a letter rail- " ing attention to the hostile attitude of the Dcscrel News with regard to the js Italian campaign and the Italian do- ft aian with respiet to Tripoli. jc s, J' costs I hat perhaps il i u polvgamitl sympathizing with the fellow "polvr.- 1 mist that, allows the columus of 'the j church organ to bo prostituto,! () (,. 1 defriipc or the vile Turk and to t!..! centre of Italy i it, laudable pur V posr ,,f pulling dou barbaro.is rulo W n Tripoli anil hrnigiiig tint large re gion into accord with Christian civilization. civil-ization. Whatever thorn may bo in thin suggestion, it is certainly surprising to sco tho organ of tho Mormon church actively siding with the barbarous Turk in his resintauce to the spread of' enlightpnment and progross. Thero is uo quest Ton in the world but thut Tripoli, under Italiau domiuanco, will be a support nnd credit to the world, in place of beiug, as it has so long been, one of the earth's dark1 spots, whoro civilization not ouly had not penetrated, but in which all the activo forces, governmental, religious, social, and. educational, have been opposed op-posed to civilisation, to progress, and to tho humanitarian ideas that po largely large-ly ruto in the Christinn world, llow nn3' American writer can sympathize with nnd r-upport that sort of depraved de-praved government and rule is one of tho curious things to seo in this country, coun-try, and it is certain that the one who puts forth this dark and reactionary view docs no credit to himself nor to the cause for which he assumes to speak. |