The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-17
The Insurgent States in the East.


cOntented provinces will add much to
our knowledge of Southeastern Europe.
Many wellinfOrmed men would have
been puzzled a few months ago to give
an Ineligible account of Montenegro or
Herzegovina, or possibly of Bosnia or
Servia. Now there is busy searching
of maps and biographies and encyclo-
pedias, for one is ashamed to bs ignO-
rant of countries whose revolt against
Turkey may change the history of
Europe.
Servia is the most important province
among the disturbed districts, for it is
peopled only by SlavOnic race, proud
of their purity of blood and of their
heroic history. Their ancestors migrated
from Asia in the sixth century, and
found home on the banks of the
Danube, in a region laid waste by war.
They built up subsequently a strong en-
pire, and their most warlike Emperor
was leading an army to make CONSTANT
nople his capital, when his ambitious
plans were foiled by sudden death. In
the next century the empire was con-
quered by the Turks, and only since this
century came in, and more particularly
within few years, has this small section
of the old empire recovered independence.
1t is self-governed, but pays an annual
tribute to the Porte. 1t comprises II, 600
square miles, about as large as the State
of Maryland, and has population of
over ], 100000 souls.
Herzegovina is narrower and more
mountainous district, near the Adriatic
Sea, having an area of 1000 square
miles, trife smaller than Massachu-
sets, and population of over 200, 900,
nearly One-halfo of whom are Mussulmans,
and the other halfnearly equally divided
between the Greek and the Roman
Catholic Churches. This division puts
the province at great disadvantage in the
struggle with the Turks, for Catholic
and Greek are not united in council and
action, and their strength is neutralized
by the large Turkish element surround
ing them.
Montenegro, having 4 500 square miles
about the size of Rhode Island-joins
Herzegovina on the southeast, but has no
seaport, the adjoining sea-soast belonging
to the Austrian province of Cattaro.
This lack of seaport is serious him
drance to the commercial growth and
prosperity Of the little province. 1t is a
mountainous region, and its brave in
habitants, exulting in their mountain
fastness, have never been conquered by
the Turks. The population is small,
numbering only 100000, but every man
among them is warrior, trained to the
use of arms, and inspired by deadly
enmity to the Mussulman. In their diff
ficult passes and inaccessible heights
they have won signal victories over the
invaders, often defeating armies tenfOld
larger than their own. The chief sue
cesses of the present campaign have been
won by their heroic army, and it is GER
tain to make good report of itself in
every encounter with the Turks.
Bosnia, which borders on Servia on
the east and Herzegovina on the west, is
larger than both united, comprising an
area of $4,000 square miles and a popula-
ton of 100000. But the races are
greatly mixed, 100000 of the people
being Turks, and only 10000 Bosnians,
of true SavOnic descent. This mixture
mokes united movement impossible,
and subjects the province to bloody
domestic strife in all attempts to throw
off the yoke of Turkey.
The same is true to a larger extent of
Bulgaria, where such horrible atrocities
have been committed in the present war.
1t is a large district, of 33, 900 square
miles, lying to the east of Servia and
stretching to the Black Sea. OF its pop
ulation of 100000 only 1900 900 are
nsminally Christian, and these are at the
mercy of their more numerous and pow
erful Turkish neighbors. They can rem
der, therefore, but little help in the
present struggle.
Wallachia and Moldavia, lying north
of Bulgaria, and also bordering on the
Black Sea. form an important princi-
pality called Roumania, with an area of
$4,000 square miles and population
of 100000. They are virtually indie
pendent, like Servia, paying only an
annual tribute to the Porte. But, unlike
Servia, their people are not of single
race or of a pure blood. The chief stock
is Dacian, anciently subdued by Rome
but mixed with this are Roman and
Gothic and Hungarian and Slavic and
Tartar elements, defying the most skill
full ethnologists to discriminate in the
strange mixture. If Roumania should
take part in the war, as some compiled.
tions would seem to indicate, it would
bring valuable help to Servia and Mon.
tenegro, which are vastly overmatched
by the Turkish power.
The sympathies of American Christians
must run strongly with the provinces in
their doubtful struggle. They are NOM
inally Christian, and SeIvia is pervaded
by an earnest religious spirit, which
leads to general Bible study. They are
all oppressed by the Turk, and no justice
can be had at Turkish court or at the
hands of Turkish official. Any true
prosperity or rapid growth is impossible
until the Turkish yoke is utterly broken,
and all fear of its re-establishment Is at
an end. How this good is te be reached
it needs bold prophet to foretell. The
iealousies of Christendom keep the Turk
in Europe; but internal decay is so rapid
that no outward bolstering can long save
the empire. When it falls a Christian
State may be possible, and the splendid
provinces now weak and impoverished
from their long misgovernment may
enter on brilliant future.
In the past eight years, scores of soaps
have come into the market, and being
worthless, have died natural death.
DobbiDs' Electric Soap (Cragin q Co.,
Phila. } leads the van. Try it.
OVER three hundred thousand English