Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-08-18
TROUBLE IN THE BALKANS.
Looks as If UnspeakabIe Turks May
Be Called to Account.

TROUBLE IN iHE 6AINANS'
Looks as IF UnspeakabIe Turks May
Be Called to Account.
News Of the past few weeks. and es-
pecially Of the past few days seems to
indicate that the long threatened out
break in the: Balkans Is close at hand
From the general appearance Of things
at least, it is fair to- assume that If
there is no serious outcome of the
present situation 1t is hardly worth
while to speculate on possible further
developments.
II is the same old trouble that has
caused so much turmoil and bloodshed
in Southeastern Europe-the oppres-
sion of Christians by Turks, and the
desire of the Macedonian and Bulga-
rian Christians to throw off the Turk
ish yoke. l..
OF course, the reader understands
that all of the Turkish empire In Eu-
rope as we'll as a great portion of that
in Asia is conquered territory. Little
by little some Of the conquered pro-
yinces, such as Bulgaria, Servia, Rou-
mania, Monte Negro, Greece, etc., have
from time to time became Independent
with thousands Of Turks still mixed
in the population, just as Christians
still compose a large per centage OF
the population Of that territory yet
occupied by the Turkish empire.
Although all Of the countries specifi-
cally named are independent, the diff
ferent races, the ancient conquerors and
the conquered have never harmonlzed.
There is bitter feeling in Bulgaria be-
tween Bulgarians and Turks and con-
slant strife for race ascendancy, just
as there Is In Macedonia, which Is still
completely under Turkish government
and control, between Macedonians and
Turks.
It was because Of Turkish outrages
against Mecedonians and impatience of
Macedonians at Turkish supremacy
that the last ill-fated war between
Turkey and Greece was fought. Greece
hoped to drive the Turks from Europe;
but failing to secure the hoped for as
sistance from other powers, only got a
terrible trouncing for her efforts.
Because of the result Of the Greek
war the Turks became more tyrannical
over the Christian inhabitants Of their
country than before. The conditions
grew worse instead Of better until
about a year ago, it looked as If the
Macedonians were ready to inaugurate
another general uprising. This was
prevented by certain action on the
part of Russia and Austria, which
governments united in a demand on
the sultan for the Inauguration Of GER
tain reforms intended to improve the
relations between the Christian and
Mohamedan Inhabitants of Turkey.
The sultan agreed to the reforms; but
never made any honest effort to carry
them out and the condition Of his
Christian subjects did not become
more bearable than it had been.
Conflicts between Mohamedans and
Christians have been of almost daily
occurrence during the past few weeks,
especially in Macedonia, and the Bull
garian government has felt so out
ragged at the situation as to be on the
verge of declaring war.
The murder of M. Rostkowski, a
Russian consular agent, in Macedonia,
last week by a Turkish soldier, has
stirred the Russian government con-
siderably. The czar demanded the i'm
mediate execution Of the Turk who
fired the shot, and that was done; but
the czar was not satisfied with that.
He gave the sultan to understand that
the Turkish governor Of Monastir,
where the crime was committed must
be banished and that certain Turkish
military officers should be punished.
All of this has been backed up, so
dispatches have it, by the mobiliza-
ton Of the Russian Black sea fleet for
a demonstration against the Turkish
coast. =.
The Bulgarian government on last
Sunday published an official state
ment, guaranteed to be correct setting
forth hundreds of specific violations by
Turkey Of the reform agreement en-
tered into with Russia and Austria.
The statement mentions many cases
of imprisonment of Bulgarians and
Macedonians by Turks for the purpose
of robbery, and Of cases where Chris
tians have been forced to sell their
lands at nominal prices in order to
escape violence There are also'recited
hundreds of murders and cases with
out number of violence to women.
1t is the general opinion throughout
Europe that if it were not for Russia's
attitude and operations in the far east
she would not hesitate to precipitate
war with Turkey at this junction; but
because of the situation in the far east,
it is believed that if war comes now,
the insurgent Macedonians and Bulga-
rians will be more responsible than
Russia. However, no man can tell
what might happen, or how soon
Southeastern Europe may become the
scene of a general European war.
NEWS FROM CLAY HILL.