The times., 1898-02-27
CRISIS IN THE BALKANS.
BuIga rian Cha rGe of Turkish Out
RACES Causes Strained Relations.

Vienna. Feb 26.-Relations between
Turkey and Bulgaria are rapidly assum-
ing the same state as those which pre-
vailed Immediately preceding the Turko-
Russian war twenty-one years ago.
outrages perpetrated by the Ottoman
There is this difference-that whereas the
officials and troops, regular as well as
irregular. were then committed upon the
Sulgarians in Bulgaria, they are now per-
petrated upon the Bulgarians in Mace
donia. Truth plays so small a role in the
Balkan states and mendacity Is TO such
an extent the order of the day there. that
il is difficult to Know just how much
truth there IS in the appalling stories
of Bulgarians burned by Turks with red
hot irons, suspended over slow fires, head
downward and analogous tortures. But
they serve as a preteXt for rousing pub
lie sentiment throughout the Belkan
states throughout Russia, and, indeed,
all over Europe against the unspeakable
Turk. and 1t v Impossible TO open any
newspaper no matter whether Austrian.
German. French. Russian. or English.
without finding the sensational words
Bulgarian outrages" staring one in the
face precisely as they did just twenty
one years ago.
The inference Is obvious. II Is IHaJ
Russia is paving the way for a summer
or autumn campaign against Turkey, in
fulfilment of the not altogether vague
menace issued by the czar the other day
when he temporarily abandoned the posi-
ton which he had taken in favor of
the immediate appointment of Prince
George of Greece as governor general of
Crete Russia mas thoroughly made II
clear that the affair is merely postponed
ID,.f., T.r IyRt1.
garia. will leave at the end of next week
for visit to St. Petersburg, and is mean
while spending enormous sums of money
in perfecting the equipment of his large
army. which is entirely at the disposal of
Russia.
Here In Vienna the impression prevails
in political and official circles that the
alleged Turkish outrages nerpetrated
upon the Bulgarians in Macedonia are
either grossly exaggerated, as they We're
twenty-one years ago, or else are purely
lima ginary, as il is well known that for
two years past the Turkish province of
Macedonia has been infested and dis
turbed by bands of Bulgarian brigands
and insurgents who retreated across the
frontier into Bulgaria as soon as ever
pursued by the Ottoman troops.
The agents, too, of those revolutionary
Bulgarian committees which have their
headquarters under the very shadow of
Prince Ferdinand's palace at Sophia have
been carrying on their propa ganda among
the Christian population of Macedonia for
months past melting them to such law
lessness as would provoke reprisals on
the part of the Turkish authorities, and
thus give an excuse for complaining of
Turkish outrages.
The Malumeat which is the official or
gan of the Yildiz Kiosque, at Constanti-
nople, publishes a long official article in
reply to the stories of alleged outrageS.
The article. which has been reproduced
by all the Turkish papers, is couched in
very violent and threatening languages.
1t denounces as lies the statements made
by the Bulgarian government the sub
ject of the alleged outrages, and declares
that the disorders In Macedonia are solely
attributable to the Bulgarian revolu-
tionary bands.
In the probable event of war on the
part of Russia and Bulgaria against Tur-
key, IL Is believed here that Servia, as
well as Roumania, would either observe
neutrality or possibly cooperate with the
triple alliance in the event of the latter
deciding to support Turkey. Montenegro,
on the other hand. would join Russia.
Meanwhile Edhem Pasha, with his staff
of German officers has been ordered by
the Sultan to cult Thessaly and to make
his headquarters ON the Macedonian bor-
der of Bulgaria, while Russian troops are
being massed along the Turkish frontier
in Asia. Nor is it without significance
that the Russian press has once more
commenced a campaign in favor of the
opening up OF the Dardanelles to the
warships of Russia which are for the
present shut up in the Black sea. an in
tolerable situation for great an empire
as Russia to be subjected to by such
disreputable and bankrupt power as the
Sublime Porte.