Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-11-25
SPEAKING or MACEDONIA.

II IA evident to anyone even super
hcially acquainted with the conditions
in the Balkan, that the protested Chris
tlans under Mohammedan rule are far
from being a credit TO their religion,
Their moral standards are frequently
low, and their intellectual achievements
present but little Of an admirable char
acter. It Is sometimes said that in all
probability they have as good govern
ment as they actually deserve. bad ns
that government Is in every respect.
But be that as 1t may, the attention
OF the world is now called to the fact,
that the conditions under which those
Christians" live, are so horrible as to
be a constant accusation against the
European nations that signed the Ber-
lin treaty OF 1878, and then neglected to
.see to It that It's provisions were car
red out.
Mr. William Curtis, In a correspond
ence from Sofia TO the Chicago Record
Herald, reminds the public OF this fact,
Speaking especially Of Macedonia, he
says every day the situation becomes
more serious. and the necessity for ac-
ton more urgent. The oppression has
become 80 unbearabe that bands of in
strgents are beginning TO collect in the
mountains Just as they did before the
Instruction Of Bulgaria In 1877. Turk
ish troops have been sent out to dis
perse them, and orders have
been given by the sultan that they
should be punished with the utmost
serenity.
Such orders are carried out to the let
ter and the number Of Bulgarlans and
other Christians" massacred in Mace
donia and other Turkish provinces viii
never be known. The motives for mur-
der torture and oppression are too
deep-seated for moral suaslon or diplo-
matte negotiations to reach, SO Ions
as the christians" submit patiently
to every wrong that may be Inflicted
upon them, so long viii they be per-
mltted TO live, but, In the eyes Of the
Mohammedaps they have forfeited
their lives by accepting the faith Of the
Greek or the Roman Catholic church,
and as often as an excuse Is afforded
It becomes the religious duty TO exter-
inmate them.
This Is probably the naked truth, To
n Mohammedan, the murder OF one
who does not acknowledge the Arabian
prophet is no crime, but duty. There
can he no reform In this, Treaties
have no sacredness. Liberation from
Turkish rule is the only conceivable
remedy.
50 FAR the jealousy Of the nations
he's prevented this natural solution OF
the eastern question" Austria and
Germany have resisted the attempts OF
Russia to extend her influence over the
Bmkaus, and Russia refuses 70 per-
mil any other power to expand over
territory which she hopes will finally
fan to her share. Mr. Curtis suggests
that Macedonia be liberated and placed
under the protection OF smaller
European country, switzerland, Dem
mark, or the Netherlands But that is
Violently impracticabe. Nsitfer Of
these countries WOULD be able TO take
Macedonia from Turkey, and neither
would be strong enough 70 protect It.
The war with Russia proved that con
alet with Turkey Is no picnic, And
none OF the strong powers Is going to
make the sacrifices the liberation would
cost, and then make n present ofvie
s9oils to spectator, Some other So
luton must be found.