The Indianapolis journal., 1903-03-13
COCKPIT OF THE CONTINENT.


Fears and War.
Golfers Weekly
war correspondents In idle times always
return to the immense and picturesque pos
slolilties OF the Balkans. In that danger
Gus corner are congested the fears and the
ampltions of every great power except the
United states; there, in Europe itself, the
Turks receding wave of invasion. which
once carried him to the walls of Vienna
sun retains autocratic dominion with the
grim tenaeity of ruling, a militant and
hsiiails a iIanaucal race; there the Mohammedan,
DpSIIevlns tnat death in battle with the
Chrlstian opens wide the gate to paradise
and the Christian. with the mighty power
manH sIsts,a Snristian legions of Russia, Ger
many austria, France and Italy at his
PACK, dwell in adjoining houses and meet
every day in the market place.
hislngs and throat-cuttings and swift
ana terrible punishment by Turkish of
1cials and appeals to Europe on the part
or the punished are inevitable This situa-
ton has caused three wars within the
memory OF men liying--wars which lily re-
PAID their cost in blood and treasure.
mat sieepIess month in which l was oc-
cupled In keeping pace with the flying
peek sin1 army army gay, gave me one indeIible impress
Lar as the phrase refers TO the average
Turk, is one of the healthiest and most
virile men on earth. Any one who has seen
red rivers of fezes-divisions. brigades and
regiments, careless of all obstacles. to their
objective with a skill that is modern and
with fanatical confidence that is me-
diaeval, knows that however inimical Turk
ish rule in Europe may be to the interests
OF civilization, the Turkish army is a mag
nlncent hghting machine which may suffer
Tor want OF food, raiment and paw. but
ever keeps its arms bright.
turkish opinion of the Macedonians may
De summed up in the remarks of an old
turkish sergeant who vised my passport
once on the Greco o-Macedonian border
These Macedonian Christians are swine"
said he When the Padishah gives the
word we will smite them as the rainstorm
lays the dust The Christians of far away
Europe are another matter. They are true
nghting men-but not so good as Turks
not SO good as Turks because they have
stepping in and robbing us of our VIC
tories"
Now looking at the matter from the side
OF the Macedonians. These fellow-Chris-
tians of ours are expected to forfeit their
pride in the name of discretion in much the
same way as a lone Chinese In a Western
mining camp. They are expected to pay
periors and not ask questions. For them
every Turk has, aside from the prejudice
OF totally different religion and customs,
the contempt of judge for racing tout,
of British nobleman for a small shop
keeper or a poacher Society. human feel
ings and industry are still primitive.
They say that the ransom for Miss Stone
went to the Macedonian revolutionary com
mittee. The Macedonian Christian knows
nothing so we'll as that the rest of Europe
is Christian. This is his bank account and
his battle cry. The Turkish Governors of
are between the devil and the
deep sea. They must keep their own re-
ngionists from declaring a religious war
at the same time that they keep the Mace
DOMAIN Christians from arousing the indig-
nation of Europe and consequent interven-
tion with the parade of their wrongs.
When it is announced that large bands
are being organized on the Bulgarian 'front.'
Ter Tor the assistance of bands of corelig-
ionists in Macedonia, history simply re-
peats itself. Russia looks to Constanti-
nople as her natural heritage. She is pa
tient and she can wait Her hand may be
forced now or not for years to come Aus
tria wants Macedonia and more especially
the port of Salonika. This annexation of
territory would do much to bind the ca
reening parts of Francis Joseph's empire
together in something like common pa
triotism and pride With the Russians.
the war would be a holy one, in the old |
sense of Huguenot and Catholic in France.
Upon few thousand lily clothed, unedu- |
Gated, adventurous Christians in Mace |
donia and Bulgaria, rather than upon the |
OF Europe, hangs the balance |
between peace and war.