Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-12-04
+ SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE.

Those who have studied the origin and
observed closely the troubles now going on
in Southeastern Europe will have no trou-
BILE in arriving at the conclusion that the
key TO the status of affairs lies simply in the
inveterate and traditional jealousies which
exist between the three Balkan races. From
time immemorial the Servian and the Greek
have been suspicious and jealous of the Bull
garian, and this sentiment the Bulgarian has
steadfastly reciprocated. Each of these three
races, moreover, has dreamed of founding q
new Empire on the ruins of Moslem power.
Each has said to itself that it would become
the heir of the Turk, whenever the Turk,
bag and baggage, should be hustled out of
his snug corner on the Bosphorus. The
Servians remember the mighty Kingdom
which their ancestors once reared on the
Danube The Greeks naturally recall the
warlike and polished realm of Pericles and
Aristotle. The Bulgarians have no memo
ries to speak Of, certainly few or none TO be
proud OF, but have been coded and nursed
by the Russians until they, too, have i'm
agined that their destination lies in the d.
rection of Constantinople and Balkan as.
tendency.
The Greeks are the most interesting of
the three races, and this, not only because
Of the never.to-be forgotten glories of their
remote past, but because of their modern
heroic struggle for independence, and OF the
a1s IF oh
ter which they still preserve.
Their attitude in the present crises is easily
enough understood. They fear the increased
power of the Bulgarians. They believe that
the union Of Eastern Roumelia with Bulga-
ria will disturb the balance of power in the
Balkan peninsula, and make their hereditary
enemy too strong, for the petty kingdoms of
| the Balkans are US anxious to have balance
as the dig empires of Europe. The Greeks,
too, have territorial ambitions of their own,
and say that if Bulgaria is TO receive an
added domain by rupture OF the treaty of
Berlin, SO must they, too. For the sake of
peace, the Greeks acquiesced in that treaty,
although it denied them the claim to Epirus
and Thcssaly, which they put forth, in their
own behalf, as simply just. Now they de-
clare, ii the treaty is to be allowed to be
broken To satisfy Bulgarian covctousness
and aspirations, it should not be allowed to
still keep apart the communities which are
essentially Greek. If identity of race is to
be the rule, then Greece is entitled TO Epirus,
Thessaly, at least Southern Macedonia, with
its once excellent port of Salonica, and the
island of Crete.
1t is this restless, jealous and aggrandiz-
ing spirit in the past, not only of the Greeks,
but also OF the Servians and Bulgarians,
which constitutes not only at present, but
constant and indefinite prospective peril to
the peace of Europe. The existing imbroglio
may be patched up by the conference, or
ind a temporary solution by force OF arms
But permanent settlement OF the difficulty
Is not yet to be looked for. Nor can such
settlement be arrived at until the last vestige
of the Sultan's power has disappeared from
Europe. This event, although it seems To
be drawing nearer every year with increased
rapdity, is justly dreaded by the statesmen
OF every European power. Human judg-
ment aud foresight cannot perceive any way
that the disappearance of the Turk from
Europe can be effected in peace. The in
tercst of the great powers in the Balkan
peninsula is so diverse and 50 formidable !;
Constantinople is prize so inestimable that
diplomacy itself stands confused and non
plused before the shadow OF the coming
Turkish exodus, yet il may possibly turn
out that the Greeks, who, after all, are the
bravest and best Of the Balkan races, will,
as a result Of the expected oyerturn OF the
Turks, be restored To that Empire ON the
Bosphorus, which was founded and built
| up by Constantine