The Times of Tuesday published in leaded type a letter
signed "X.," obviously written by some leading member of the Opposition. In it the Writer declares that events bring out three conclusions ; that the real evil in Turkey is Turkish misrule ; that the attempt of Russia to put an end to this misrule by her armies must lead to a long and bloody war ; and that the only hope of putting an end both to the misrule and the fear of war lies in steady European pressure upon Turkey. He there- fore recommends -that the Porte should embody her promises of reform in a protocol, thereby giving the Powers a treaty- right to insist upon the fulfilment of these promises. That
proposal, as it seems to us, would secure all ends, except the one most worth securing, the liberation of European Turkey. The Powers have the right to interfere now, if they please, and do not use it, but refuse to interfere, and no protocol could give them either new courage or new sense of duty. Turkey, if pressed hard enough by all Europe, would sign any number of protocols, but of what use would they be, without the physical guarantees which she has hitherto steadily refused to concede ? What is the value of an extra acceptance from an insolvent man ?
