New-York tribune., 1900-08-26
TIE MACEDONIANTROUBLE
KING CHARLES's QUARREL WITH PRINCE
FERDINAND, AND IT'S PROB
ABLE RESULT.
ALI, THE GREAT POWERS OF EUROPE MAY BIG IN
YoLVED IN A sANGUINARY WAR-CAusEs
LEADING TO THE coEFLI(

intlmdted
southeast OF Europe that. inasmuch as Russia
was confronted by a grave crisis In emma Which
would tax severely her military and financial
resources they would do well to avoid anything
calculated to disturb peace in the Balkans, since
the Czar would be unable to intervene as ne
did in behalf of Greece at the time of her defeat
by Turkey, but would be compelled to leave
them to their fate to eXtricate themselves from
their troubles as best they could. The Foreign
Minister of Emperor Nicholas fondly imagined
that this notification would serve to keep the
much discussed Eastern question in a Quescent
condition until the Chinese problem had been
solved.
Unfortunately, his well meant move has had
a precisely contrary effect. In the first place.
news thereof reached the ears of the Sultan
who convinced that it would be taken to heart
by the various Balkan States determined to
avail himself of what he believed would be their
compulsory inactivity to revive the persecution
of his Christian subjects. Abdul Hamid's or
thodoxy has always been regarded with Ger
tain degree of suspicion by his Mahometan sub
jects and there is nothing more calculated to
dspel these doubts and to foster the waning
loyalty of the true believers to the Caliph than
his permission to indulge in the plunder ana
the massacre of their Christian fellow lieges. In
the early part of last month nearly all the
Pachas and Beys disgraced in connection with
o
were reappointed to their former posts; several
hundred Armenians were butchered the other
day near Van while in Macedonia the oppres-
sion of the Christians by the Turkish officials,
civil as well as military, and by the Mahometan
element of the population has become more in
toerable than ever.
BALKAN STATES WAITE I FOR A CHANCE
But 1t is not only the ..tan who has made
up his mind to take advantage of the fact that
Russia's attention is absorbed by China. The
Balkan States apparently determined to
avail themselves of the opportunity to put into
execution their pet projects, now that Russia
has been forced for the time to release her hold
upon the leash by which they have been held IN
check The various Christian races in the
Southeast of Europe convinced that they
viii never obtain justice" that is to say ac-
complish their various aims as long as they
remain inactive and rely upon Russia or any
of the great Powers of Europe to help them.
Rumanta, Servia and Montenegro all obtained
their liberation from the thraldom of the Sub
lime Porte by fighting for 1t themselves and
when the great Powers intervened it was only
for the purpose of preventing the Sultan from
any attempt to re-establish his rule over his
formerly tributary States. 1.-The Governments
of Europe helped our brothers at last" say the
people of the Southeast of Europe. because
they could help themselves" I'VE Southern
Slavs cannot wait forever to suit the policy of
certain empires" The sentiments thus ex-
pressed are those of the people throughout the
Balkan States as well in Macedonia, and now
that not only Russia but the other great Powers
as well have their hands fun with China the
moment appears to them to be singularly pro-
ptious for putting their projects into execution.
a few words necessary to explain these
projects, as we'll the troubles brewing be-
tween Bulgaria and Rumania- The crater of the
political volcano in the southeastern corner OF
Europe is Macedonia By the Treaty of Berlin
of 1878 the Sultan was bound to introduce with
out delay a number of reforms in Macedonia
reforms destined to endow the Christian pOpula |
ton of the province with the same rights and
privileges as their Mahometan fellow subjects, |
and to assure them of freedom from persecution |
by the appointment of Christians only to the po-
Eition Of Governors and Deputy Governors
Although twenty years have elapsed since |
this treaty signed and ratified, not a single |
move has been made by the Porte toward the |
introduction of the reforms to which the Otto
Empire pledged itself. The lives and prop
erty of Christians in Macedonia continue en-
nrely unprotected. Abduction. robbery and |
murder are every day occurrences. and instead |
of being punished by the Ottoman authorities |
they are, on the contrary encouraged. Christians
forbidden under severe penalties to carry
for the purpose of defence, whereas no
such prohibition Is enforced In the case of Ma