Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1903-09-19
MACEDONIAN SITUATION
Greek Editors Explanation of
the Eastern Trouble.
BEGINNING OF THE INsURREoTIoN

OOhSNNhtAnS he FMASBOuAAr10e8 says
Reliance ON Russia Is Responsible
For the Revolution and That Mac.
-edonians Are Satisfied With Turk.
ish Ru1e-Greek Population and In.
terests Far Exceed Bulgarian.
"The New York newspapers do not
seem to understand the Macedonian
situation" said Constantine D. Phas-
soularides, the editor Of Thermopyla,
the Greek newspaper, recently to a
reporter of the New York Commercial
Advertiser.
"rhe trouble in Macedonia began
about two years ago, when the Bull
garian revolutionary committee of
Sofia was organized. Its object was
to expel the Greeks from Macedonia
To carry on the conflict they obtained
from wealthy Greeks, by force and
blackmail, revolutionary funds. To
quote from a pamphlet issued last May
by the Society of Hellenism of Athens,
From December, 1901, to the end Of
1902 the Bulgarian committee assas-
sinated about 600 Greek merchants and
other wealthy Greeks of Macedonia,
and from others by threat and black
mail they raised from ESQ to $1,000
$3.50 to $4,000 EACH
"By the latest statistics which the
Greek government sent to the powers
about the racial population of Mace
IN hn
Of Triest, Austria, on Aug. 20, the
total population in the vilayet Of Mon
astir, which consists Of the districts
Of Koriza, Dibra, Sores and Elbasan,
is $50, 100, Of whom there are 309.78
Greeks. 174,O11 Bulgarians, $4,000 Ser
VANS, 1900 Roumanians, 344, 766
Mussulmans and 1850 Jews.
1.-THE vilayet of Salonika, With con-
sists of the districts of Sierra and
Drame, has population of 1,O4O,22O,
Of which number there are 348,050
Greeks. 2O5,SS6 Bulgarians, 225,514
Mussulmans and 6O,770 Of other ma
tionalities, Of which number there are
81, 900 Jews. Thus it is seen that al
though the Bulgarians lay claim to
Macedonia they are decidedly in the
minority.
According to the statistics Of the
Bulgarian exarchate itself, there are
55,633 Greek pupils attending the
schools in Macedonia and 1894 Bull
garians. According to the statistics Of
the Turkish government, ffty-three
Greeks to one Bulgarian pay taxes.
"The Greek population is not only
the largest, but the most progressive.
The British consul in Salonika. writ
ing to his government, said: Generally
the Greek population in Macedonia is
higher in numbers and education than
the Bulgarians. They also surpass the
Bulgarians in business and commerce.
The Greeks, however, are quiet and
avoid trouble, hoping that they will
get benefit by peace. while the Bull
garians are always ready to commit
any crime for their own benefit
"Of the Bulgarians fighting in Mace
donna today not one has been born in
from over the frontier. The people |
generally are peacefully inclined and
prefer to remain under the Turkish |
protection rather than under the Grim |
NAL rule Of the Bulgarians.
"'Of course behind Bulgaria is Rus |
STA, who wants to grab everything to
quote from an article written by Prince
Mestsersky in the Graschdaum Of ST.
Petersburg. IF there were not Rus
sian consuls in Macedonia there never
would have happened these pitiful
.hings. / am very sure that the revo-
utionary movement would never have +
'isen so strong in the absence Of Rus
ian consuls. We must not forget that
Macedonia. Albania and Bulgaria are
Using every means to force Russia to
20 to arms against Turkey. 1 am ask
ng our government, when things are
n this condition, what is the use for
is to have consuls in Macedonia If l
lad the power in the government /
would recall all our consuls from
here
when the actual revolution began
bout month ago in Krushevo, ac-
ording to the Acropolis of Athens and
Their Greek newspapers, 400 Greeks
we're slain and the city was ruined
according to the same paper, about
hirty Greek villages were destroyed
I the vilayet of Monastir. During the
onfict of course some of these vii
lges were destroyed by the Turks,
Tho found it necessary to lombard
hem in order to drive out the Bull
arian revolutionists who were defend
lg themselves there. r
According to the papers published
/ Philippopolis, none Of the Greek
lerchants there can easily escape the
of the Bulgarians who are
racticing the money or your life
anne.
1--WE find. then, that the Bulgarians
ave no right to Macedonia by either
umbers or commercial interest. The
eal wealth Of the country is with the
reeks."
Swiss Guard For Servian King.