Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-04-20
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THE BALKAN SITUATION.


Of the European powers In Constantine
pie. urging the Sultan TO check the dis
orders In Albania indicates clearly that
the Balkan situation is considered criti-
cal. and also that the powers are anx-
lous to avoid trouble at present. The
Turkish ruler certainly agreed to quell
the disturbances. But Is It within his
power to do so?
The real point OF danger appears to
be in Bulgaria. Reports say that Bull
agrian sympothlzers with the Mace
DOMAIN patriots are committing fearful
atrocities upon Turks. or Mohamme-
dams, in the hope Of bringing retaliation
upon the christians" aud by such
means arousng an overwhelming pop
uar opinion against the ottoman gov
ernmeut. Some time ago Christians
OF Constantlnople expressed fear OF a
general massacre there, and possibly IT
takes an the vigilance Of the govern
meut TO prevent a catastrophe that
might precipltate the war the powers
are trying to postpone as long as posi-
bic
The Albanians who are the cause Of
the present uneasiness. are described as
people with whom civilization cannot
reckon. They have been used by the
Turkish government as tax gatherers,
and that is an Office In Turkey. that
does not tend to make the occupants
honest, kind, generous or noble. At
present fierce Albanians have
undoubtedly been given vast powers
over the rebollous spirits and their
mode Of pacihcation Is always torture
and death. These Albanlans, Il Is said,
have no word In their language for
peace" They have one for truce" as
II the only two conditions Of society
they recognize were "bloodfeud' and
truce" one writer on Turkey claims
that their only real occupation is fight
ing. And they Ike to fight In the dark,
like certain beasts of prey. When
whole clans are to take part in a feud,
they generally arrange a battle to-
wards evening II It is necessary to 80
for supplies. hostilltles may be suspend
ed for few days, and then again re-
opened The Albanians are said to be
Christians when that suits their pur-
pose, but Mohammedans when exacting
tribute az the point of the sword The
Sultan uses a great many Of them, as
dogs, TO harrass other subject races
and keep them In perpetual fear.
Statesmen have long recognized that
there is no remedy for the Balkan
states but the liberation OF the so-called
Christian nations from the Mohamme-
dan rule. This is the greatest anomaly
In the present arrangement OF the Eu-
ropean states. Long ago the Asatic
hordes, fred by religious fanaticism
swept down upon the peoples OF Asia
Minor and eastern Europe, and made
them slaves. They took them captive,
as hunters may take useful animals
and exact from them food, or service.
They made those peoples tributaries,
not with the object In view Of develop
| Ing the resources OF their country and
leading them onward and forward, but
only TO live on them-to convert their
toll into luxuries for themselves And
they have held them In such seryltude
ever since. Their homes and fields,
their property, and even their wives
and daughters are considered the legiti-
mate prey Of the conquerors There is
no remedy for this but the release Of
the Turk from the self-lmposed duty Of
ruling these subjects. This remedy
will be applied some day, II the pow
ers are anxious to preserve the peace
they had better go together aud agree
upon a division of spheres OF inhu-
ence' there, and establish a modern
| form Of government There Is no 9TH
er way Of restoring peaceful conditions.
As long as the so-called Christians are
being abused as they now are, there
viii be rebellions and atrocities, and
| Europe win always be trembling, In
fear Of what the next day may bring