The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-10-01
TIE REAL QUESTION IN BOSNIA.

her claims to assume, at least in part, the
future government OF the discontenteC
Christian subjects of the Sultan. But thii
neither simplities nor faci litates the solution
OF the knotty questions which the Serviar
| invasio on precipitated. Indeed, as has been
remarked in many quarters, the removal oil
Servia from the scene only directs atten-
| ton anew and with more painful earnest
| mesa t. the original difficulty IL to be
come of the Christian populations ot Bosnia
and the Herzegovina, who revoited now
more than q year agof This is the ques-
ton which the Andrasy Note and the Ber-
lin Memorandum protested to help to re-
solve, aud with which the Powers cannot
avoid dealing in the negotiations which are
about to take place.
Europe is better acquainted now than
it was ak or eight months ago with the
character of the resurrection in those
provinces, it's genuine causes and objects.
1t has been found convenient to speak of
it rs a political or religious rising against
intoleraole oppression. The crafty intri-
guers, who were pulliDg the wires at Bel
grade and CettiDji Ii q spirit of purely sell
fish calculation, were solicitous to propa
gate this view, which gave substance to
their schemes and made their ambition
seem self sacrificing patriotism. 1t ap
pears, indeed, TO have been q rising against
intolerable oppression but the oppre ssioD,
so far as onr Information goes, was social
aud material and not religious or political.
None of the charges which have been made
against the administration of the revolted
districts, included any tampering with
the religious arrangements hitherto exist
ing. Political wrongs could scarcely be
alleged, where political rights were utterly
non existent. Where q people have been
brought to so low condition as the upfor-
tunate Christians in those provinces have
occupied for over four centuries, it is sim
ply nonsense to talk of the existence of
{" political aspirations "among them. They
have not a notion kindred to the thing.
Their chief want was to be let alone, to be
allowed to live, to hold and use in peace
the produce of their hard toll, to have
around them without molestation their
wives and children. Social life in it's most
form, a toierable material eXs-
tence ; these are the sum of their earthly
desires. Improvement in this respect is the
first condition of the advancement of the
peasant. Give him security of life, of family,
of material goods /; let his condition be rem
der>d ever 80 little less miserable aud pre-
carlcus then 1t is now then, as his ipteli-
gence will be educated, his ideas will be
developed, and the once barely tolerated
serf may yet expand into a citizen. But
neither Bosnia nor Herzegovina had it's foot
on the first rung of this ladder of progress.
In both the material condition of the rayah
might be considered as the ne plus mira
judging, the lnsurrection was provoked by
cruel exactions which would have made be
J ond this lowest depth O lower still. The
Porte has had the bad system of farming
the taxes. Formerly it was the Bera, the
Slaves, the descend %nte of the
original Bosniak proprietors who embraced
Islam to save their properties, that collect
ed the lmposts from their wretched Chris
tan fellow countrymen. But their influ-
ence aud power has been very much
diminie he'd during the last forty ! ears. and
now for long time the collection Of the
revenue has been 10 the hands of a special
class of tax gatherers, selected without re-
gard to their race or religion. The autho-
rites at Constantinople are proverbial!y
Indifferent to the hardships which the
rsyahs may have to endure at the hands
OF inferior officials. The ever increasing
ever pressing financial needs may have
intenslhed this Indifference it certainly
was the cause that only one qualifca-
ton was looked for in the revenue col
!ectors. The man who was likely to bring
in most was clearly the man best qualified
to meet the requirements of an empty trea-
sury. We cannot be surprised if the col
lectors have generally the reputation of
being extortionate in their demands and
unfeellpg In their ways of enforcing them.
II Is said that in Bosnia they were mostly
Greeks and Armenians, from CONSTANT
nople and the maritime towns of the north
ern 4dgeau, class who are usually set
do Wn ns equally keen, greedy, and unscrup-
ulous, ana who have no sympathy with the
ScIavonic Christians. In the early part of
last year it became matter of vital impor.
lance to raise the public revenue TO the
highest possible figure, partly to meet the
pressure of extravaganza expenditure, and
partly to stave off little longer the act of
public bankruptcy which was known to be
Unavoidable. The instructions and orders to
The farmers Of the imposts were proportion
Ite'y stringent, and were carried out with |
more than usual harshness. The collectors
probably knew the tension of the financial |
position as well, ifnot better than the Minis
era of the Porte. 1t might be their ow last |
'hance for making harvest, and they are
'redited with endeavoring to use it to the
almost. Their assessments were higher
han usual, their demand of payment was
n anticipation of the customary period,
md their methods of exacting were more
urinary and insolent. 1t was the proven
'ial "last straw" The unfortunate rayshs,
'lready ground to the dust, were quite
Unable to meet these Increased burdens