The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-27
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Grecce's Claim to the Country On
Historic Grounds.
From the Chicago Daily News.


From the Chicago Daily News.
The question as to what Macedonia will
do as result of the war between Turkey
and Greece is as full of interest as the
one involving the final disposition of
Crete. Really Macedonia is the debatable
ground of the war. Greece claims the
country, not only on historical grounds,
but because the people are, by a large
majority, Greeks, especially along the
coast. Servia also claims the country, be-
cause 1t was once part of that country,
having been taken by King Duschaw, who
founded the empire of Servia in 1870
Bulgaria claims 1t because 1t was at one
time part of that empire. Russia de-
mands 1t for the reason that its inhabi-
ants are Slavs, while Austria has some
hope of getting it on account of its prox-
unity to that country and also because
Of her great anxiety to own the port of
Salonica
The claim of Greece is the most valid
one, although Bulgaria has been the most
active in pressing her claims to the right
of possession. AT the Berlin conference
Russia urged that Macedonia be attached
to Bulgaria, instead of to Turkey, but it
was seen that the reason for the position
of the car was a selfish one, he believing
that eventually Bulgaria would fall to him
and if it did Macedonia would come with
it if it was made a part of Bulgaria, Aft
er Bulgaria became, in a measure, indie
pendent, and elected Alexander as its
ruler, the movement to annex Macedonia
was kept up in the hope that with that
increase of territory the country would
be large and strong enough to be prac-
tically independent of both Turkey and
Russia The death of Stambuloff the
great prime minister of Bulgaria, put an
end to the active scheming of Bulgaria
for the possession of Macedonia, while the
intrigues by Greece and Austria have been
active. Greece and Bulgaria would both
have invaded Macedonia with the view
of uniting it, but Austria with railroad
across the entire country from Budapest
to Salonica, holds both in check. BY means
of this road Austria could put troops into
the country in advance of either of the
countries that covet the ancient kingdom
of Macedonia.
The great danger of European war lies
in the fact that the struggle now going on
over the possession of Macedonia cannot
If continued, help involve Austria for that
country would fight rather than see Mac
edonia a part of either Bulgaria or Greece
The city of Salonica is too valuable to
Austria to permit it to fall into other
hands than Turkish hands. The Macedo-
mans would prefer to cast their lot with
Greece than with any other power in Eu-
rope and the position of the entire peo-
pie is Enthusiastically in favor of a union
with Greece. AS yet none of the northern
provinces of Turkey has broken out in
revolt against the sultan, but 1t Is thor
oughly well understood that they await
favorable opportunity to do so. Possibly
the powers may step in and stop the war
before these provinces find an excuse for
taking part in the contest, but if they do
not, Servia, Bulgaria and Montenegro are
likely to unite with Greece against Tur-
key, in which event Turkey would find
herself more than matched by the hardy
mountaineers opposing the crescent.
The four countries could put into the
field nearly as many men as could Turkey
and they would be better soldiers than the
sultan has. The longer a cessation of the
hostilities is delayed the more difficult
will 1t be to effect a settlement of the
questions in dispute