The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-29

To the north the territory is known
in the Turkish administration as the
Vilayet of KoSSovo SO called after the
great plain of KoSSOvO, or the "black-
Birds" the fatal field on which the Ser
Wan army, under the Tsar Lazar, was
empire, founded by Duchan, fell I'M
der the Turk. The principal towns of
the Vilayet are Pristina, on the Sit
nitZa on the east side of the railway
to MitrovitZa, and Prisrend on the
west, the capital of the eastern Alban-
ianS. Other towns are Jakova and 1peK,
the former noted in modern times as
having been the scene of the murder
of Mehemet Ali Pasha, soon after the
Berlin congress of 1878.
The circumstances of his aSSaSSina-
ton were curious and characteristic OF
the people. Before being called to the
command of the Turkish army in Bull
garia after the passage of the Danube
by the Russians, Mehemet Ali, who
was of Huguenot French-German ex-
traction from Magdeburg, had COM
manded in Albania. The turbulent
character of the Jakova Arnaouts and
their readiness to use the weapons
with which they delight to garnish
their persons were such that Mehemet
Ali gave orders that all ArnaOuts en-
tering the town should deposit their
more deadly insult it would be impOs-
Sible to infiict on them, and they regis
tered VOWS TO kill him on the first Op-
portunity. The opportunity came when,
after the Berlin congress- where he
was one of the Turkish plenipOtentiar-
les, he was sent to induce the Ipek
ArnaOuts, as aVage as those Of JakOVa,
to consent to become the subjects Of
Prince Nicholas of Montenegro. AT
Prisrend his telegraph operator was
murdered in the street the day of their
arrival there. Mehemet Ali, who had
some premonitiOn Of what was coming,
nothing daunted, however, went on to
Jakova on his way to Ipek. He had
hardly been installed in the house pre-
pared for him at JakOVa when it was
invaded by an Infatuated mob of Ar
naOuts, and the unfortunate Mehemet
Ali and his son-in-laW were hacked
to pieces Ipek did not surrender to
the Montenegrins, and no attempt was
ever made to avenge their deaths. Peo-
pie did say that no regret was felt at
COnstantinOple when news of his death
reached the palace.
The town of MitrOVitza, which is the
terminus of the railway from Salonica,
is picturesquely situated at the juno
ture of the SitinitZa with the Ibar, one
of the main tributaries of the Servian
MoraVa that discharges into the DAN
ube below Semendria. On the north
side of the town are gorges through
which pass the road leading to Nov1-
Bazaar, close to the Servian frontier,
the capital Of the administrative dis
trict known as the Sandjak of Now
Bazaar, a tongue of territory running
north separating Servia from Monte
negro In order to prevent the posi-
bility of Servia and Montenegro COM
ing together at any moment on this
territory, the Austrian government OBJ
tanned the right at the Berlin congress
tc maintain conformity with the Turks
equal garrisOnS at certain strategic
points on the roads passing across
Novi-BaZar from Servia to Montenegro
These points are Plevlje, Priepolje and
BlelopOlJe, and glance at the map
will show how effectually the purpose
of blockading the roads is accomplished
by their occupation. This question has
BEEN ONE OF THE MANY THORNS
in the side of the sultan, but the only
remedy he might have applied that
could have removed them he failed to
use, and the Austrian occupation has
now every appearance of being per-
manent. Civilization can only gain by
the substitution of any government for
that OF the Turk throughout the Novi-
Bazaar and Arnaout country. Right
would give 1t to Servia and Monte
negro; might seems to indicate Austria
as the future possessor.
TO return to Macedonia. During his
lifetime, Mr. Tricoupis, the Greek
statesman, endeaVored to effect some
preliminary arrangement with Serv1a
and Bulgaria, by which, when the de-
clslVe moment arrived, they might each
enter into possession of their share OF
Macedonia without coming IN conflict.
Mr.. Stambuloff, with discourtesy that
was nothing less than brutal. rejected
oil rnr.f11 "a
SerVia, and so the matter stood in
allegiance. AT the present moment the
visit of the king Of Servia to Prince
Ferdinand at Sofia seems to indicate
an understanding, at least, between
them. The Bulgarians have considera-
bic forces concentrated south of Sofia.
at Dubnitza. Samazov and Tartar
Bazardjik.
From the first named, Dubnitza. a
| road leads west to KostendiI, on the
read to Uskub; another leads due
south to Djuma, on the Turkish side
| Of the frontier, down the valley of the
Struma as far as Nevrekop and from
there across the mountain by LISA
and Drama to Kavala on the Aegean.
opposite the island of Thasos. an an
panage of the khedive of Egypt, through
the first khedive, Mahmoud, whose
personal property it was. The
| ENGLISH GOVERNMENT so RE-
CARDS
it today, and Thasos is hardly ever
without the presence of one or more
English ships of war A movement
from Dubnitza by this road. besides
being assisted by revolutionary bands.
could be supported by a regular move
ment by the road leading across the
DespOto mountain. into the valley of
the Struma from Samakov and Tartar
BaZarGjik.
A Servian movement would start
from several points. One certainly from
Vranya on the railway line to Uskub;
another from Leskovatz to Pristina in
the Vilayet of Kossovo, and others
from UjitZe or Uchitza and Valjevo,
in aid of combined action with Monte
negro in Novi-Bazar and KoSsovo
There certainly should be no diff
Guilty, SO far as the Balkan states and
Greece are concerned, in their all COM
ing to an equitable understanding for
the partition of Macedonia Whoever
possessed SalOnica would be bound to
make it a free port OF entry and ship
ment for all the other states interest
ed in the railways terminating there,
and the inhabitants would gain at once
by passing under their national flags
Their political and military necessities
would in short time compel the three
states to enter into some kind Of fed
eral compact for mutual defense and
trade requirements. Under the sur
VIGILANCE and with the good will of
Europe q powerful and prosperous con-
federation would eventually be formed
that would In time develop into a ma
ton, with traditions and a mission Of
it's own. In view, however, of passing
events, this can only be regarded as
a dream or a pious wish. The prac-
! teal politics Of ambition welding the