New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-05-13

mas nuboled and is always simmering. It is
no" IN so explosive a state of ferrnent TO
throw off all TIE reforms that are put in
am now writing particularly of the districts
in which the Mussulrnans are Albanians The
Turkish Empire viii not exist in Europe. vent
ore TO say. when the Albanians are lowered TO
the level Of the swine" they have dominated so
long The AIbanians have resources Of charac-
ter capable of wonderful development They
are physically a superb race. Large and well
built. but slender. with every feature finely
chiselled they are pure Caucasians in type,
their rudy hue being the stain Of the sun.
You can pick out at glance an Albanian Of
hcer in the Turkish Army. He cannot be dis
tinguished from European There is q better
comparison: The AIbanians in appearance are
like Americans OF the Gibson type-a strongly
marked contrast to the Turk
On their natural dress. however. you have to
scrutinize them closely in order TO find points
Of similarity to any other people. / am speak
ing Of the men. The women wear full black
cloaks. apparently puffed out with air to hide
their figures, and white muslin veil and head
covering in the place of the dark head draperies
of the Turkish women. They are only women!
IF you ask an Albanian how many children he
has he viii shake his head regretfully and reply.
Two children and four girls" The Turks fez
is ugly thing. but the Albanian's is gorgeous.
1t is of the same color as the Turks. but there
is no air space in it It fits tight his skull
Instead of the thin black tassel. of long.
full blue silk falls to the shoulders and trails TO
the front gracefully. This is the dress fez. For
everyday wear the Albanian uses white cap
without the appeDdage- The trousers. usually
white. fit tight to the ankle, where they flare
out over the shoe. Down each side Of them
and over the back is broad band of rich black
sill 7fDp In from rbA ST
in a rich red, edged with black, design which
tapers off down each leg to the knee. A brill
iantly coored sash, padded underneath with
others Of less gorgeous hue-altogether, some
ten twelve yards Of material, which it takes
ten minutes 10 wind around one-forms the
dividing band between trousers and a low-cut
shirt and serves as holster for pistol and knife.
A short richly worked jacket without sleeves,
reaches down to the top Of the sash, but misses
meeting across the chest by six inches. There
are variations of this costume. but it is mate
rally the same all over Albania
The cut Of the hair is the tribal badge or sign
Of individuality among Aibanians Followers OF
one chief will keep their heads closely shaver,
except in one circular space about an inch
across. which is never cut. This single tuft
cl1rIs down underneath the fez like Indians
scalpIock Others will shave the top Of the
head where the cap rests, and there is sense
in the arrangement, for they never remove their
fezes, and the heat is thereby equalized over the
head There are dozen other cuts, all Of which
spoil the intellectual physiognomy OF the Al
bantam from e European point Of view; but
when his hair is allowed to grow naturally and
he dresses according 70 civilized ideas, he IS
unrivaIled in appearance. It is sad TO think
that AIussulran fanaticism is SO deeply IN
grained in these people It is not a racial in
49, y,rl
These are the people whom you meet every
where They walk proudly, while the servian
goes about the streets of Nfitrovitza with bowed
head in humiliation. In Uskub ventured to
walk out without a bodyguard one day into the
Albanian quarter From a sidewalk on which
there was barely room enough for two to pass
was suddenly showed roughly off by two Al
banian soldiers, who would not give way to
giaour! An officer just behind probably saved
my life at least my dignity, by jumping in at
the moment and taking the men to task The
British consul heard of the affair Immediately
for the dragornen Of the foreign consuls are as
energetic here as are the Turkish spies, and he
cautioned me always to give way and TO step
down from a sidewalk even If a beggar with
fez confronted me. With an escort the danger is
reduced, and you not subjected to insult
Yo,, walk in the middle of the street, because
-
Mftrovitza the soldier who first sees NJ Mash
l,oT or any European step out Of the consulate
passes the word along to guardhouse about
TWO hundred feet away. and without request
ten or twelve men drop in behind the foreigner.
This escort does not have occasion to clear the
way. for no Albanian would allow himself TO be
where foreigner is likely to pass. for he cannot
brook the insult Of being put out Of the way.
The Turkish commanding officers say that the
discipline among their men is perfect, and that
they will have no trouble in inducing them 10
fight the AIbanians. II necessary, for the occu-
re+;on If their country The Turkish army
as+ounds 2 European. The discipline Of It is
,,neoualled by any other military force in the
world When an order comes, Right about
facAp q third of the line is likely to turn TO the
left. but as for obedience without the reason
r., there Is nothing to compare with it Since
the world has fixed its eyes on the Turkish SOL
6ie- the officers have seen fit TO forbid outrages
T. rrta+ civilized army could a custom which
"a raar followed for centuries be cut short so
.,a5e,1vq In similar circumstances it may be
z,4,-a5 whether the army OF any Christian
-,-rer in the world would have acted as well
rbe Turkish troops are working now against
r-bs+ has been taught them as religion, and 1t is
hardly in the power of human beings TO change
their natures even if the representative OF AIlah
= ;11s - The Albanians have more brain
thar, the Turks They understand the SITUATION
a,,a crv aloud TO the Sultan; We don want 70
agb- vouf Give ammunition ana We "t+
- - ,-o,,r enemies Every soldier obeyed
~ or5er n fire at N. stcherbina's murderer
,-..r,,, +bree thousand cartridges were fired at
- :, .be five minutes he was free after COM
---,++,r,g the deed. The bali from the pistol Of
the Cossack was the only one that struck 'he
- perbaps the Turkish troops will all obey