The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-15
EUROPE'S LUMBER ROOM
SPARK IN MACEDONIA MIGHT SET
A CONTINENT IN A BLAZE.
A Mixture of Races. Creeds and In
terests-The RussO-BulGarian In
trigues-The Point of Danger.

New York Tribune.
"A land where fragments of forgotten
peoples dwelt'' might well have been writ
ten of Macedonia. There is not III all
Europe another such land. so mixed up IN
races, creeds and interests. Plutarch once
called il a land where a spade is called
spade. 1t is scarcely entitled to that dis
tinction now, for in it everything has,
dozen names. And when you come 10 null
tiply the number of races, creeds, political
factions and what not by the number or
names each has, the result in something
appalling.
To begin with. then, Macedonia is not
even what Italy contemptuously de-
clared to be before her unon-a geopraph-
ical expression. 1t is not a geographical
nor yet an ethnographical conception, as
Bulgaria, Servia, Montenegro are. Its from
tiers which are always political. have
changed over and over again. with the
varying vicissitudes of war and diplomacy;
and as for its people. you will find them
consisting of remnants of at best dozen
different tribes and tongues. but not a
single Macedonian among them all. There
are Slavs, Turks, Hellenes, Jews, gypsies.
etc, Catholics Protestants. orthodox
Greeks, Mosems and veritable agnostics,
religion. and care, if possible. less; to say
nothing of the numerous bands of apos
tates, who sure of reaching heaven by
the most extraordinary roads. and of
tering ii through the broadcast gates But
the genuine old Macedonians. the warlike
men upon whom Philip and Alexander the
Great relied the pillars of their empire,
are as irretrievably lost as the Ten Tribes.
CONFUSION OF TONGUES.
To illustrate the confusion of tongues
that prevails in Macedonia ii is told that
at the Congress of Berlin a satellite of one
of the diplomatic stars, who objected to
the resuscitation of the kingdom of Great
Bulgaria. explained why he felt opposed to
Russia proposal to hand Macedonia over to
Bulgaria. IF the population, or even the
Christian element In it, were Bulgarians.
il would be all very well. But they are
not; and the others will kick against any
such arbitrary arrangement. What. for in
stance, will the Kutzavlachs say? And the
ZinZars? Then you can hardly expect the
Shkpetars the Albanians, or even those
ruffianly Arnauts. who, after ALL are ola
inhabitants of the country. to bow their
heads and submit without a blow to the
hegemony of their enemies. the Bulgar-
ians.' 1t would have been difficult to an
swer this rising young dipomatist without
wounding his susceptible feelings: for IL
would have been necessary TO tell him that
the ZinZars are identical with the kutz-
ovlachs. and that the Albanians Shkipe-
tars and ruffianly Arnauts are one and the
same people. Yet such is the case.
The country itself is wild and bleak with
some enhancing landscapes. and sparsely
strewn with GASES of fertile soil. Ii abounds
in rocks. caves lakes, fens, boys dens
and shades of death. shut in by heaven
kissing hills. Nature has done someth hing
not very much-for the land, and man has
strenuously striven TO undo even that
There extensive plains here and there
which are among the .most fertile i'm Eu-
rope but they lie neglected and fallow. The
ploughshare, to be worked with anything
or. at least, covered by a friendly rifle and
even then the husbandman must take his
life in his hands and say his last words
before Sallylng forth In the morning to earn
his bread. Yet even when entirely re-
claimed to civilization Macedonia will never
take rank as a corn-producing country
But under good management considerable
profit might be made by working its min
erals and dragging into the light of day
the unsunned treasures that have lain there
unproftably since the creation of the world
The hot sulphur springs OF Novoselo near
Shtep. would be among the most celebrated
in Europe under any but the Turkish gov
eminent.
Ancient Macedonia possessed several i'm
portant cities which are now dead and
buried-Some of them under the weeds and
tall grasses of centuries. Pella, Odessa
Philippine last named celebrated for its
gold and silver mines. TO say nothing OF its
| ghost (the ghost that made an appointment
with Brutus and kept 1t when Octavius
defeated him there i'm the year ~ Il. c.
| are among the most historical. Contem-
| porary Macedonia has two or three cities
| and a few towns. which among the
| filthiest upon earth. They are buried in the
| secular dirt that breeds Infection and death
and are never subjected 10 any cleansing
| process except such Is To be had from
| the rain which turns the narrow streets
| into roaring torrents and sweeps mud
| stones refuse and dead animals along by
! the sides of the houses under the noses OF
consuls and pachas.
| POLITICAL PROBLEMS.
But to turn TO the political aspect of the
case. which is more 10 the present purpose
Macedonia is truly a debatabe land The
| Greeks claim il. of course. historic
| grounds. Besides il contains a great many
| Greek inhabitants. especially at Salonica
| and along the coast. Servia claims il be-
| cause Ii once belonged ~ her. under the
! Servian Car Dushan. Bulgaria claims 1t