Evening journal., 1903-09-24
MACEDONIAN SITUATION
Greek Editors Explanation of
the Eastern Trouble.
BEGINNING OF THE IEsURREoTIoN

Constantine ID. Pbasaoularides Says
Reliance ON Russia Is Responsible
For the Revolution and That Mac
edonfnns Arc satisfied with Turk
ash RuIe-0reeIS Population and In
terests Far Exceed Bulgarian.
"The New York newspapers do not
seem to understand the Macedonian
situation said Constantine ID. Phas-
soularides, tne editor Of Thermopyla.
the Greek newspaper, recently to a
reporter OF the New York Commercial
Advertiser.
"1he trouble In Macedonia began
about two years ago, when the Bull
garian revolutionary committee OF
Sofia was organized. Its object was
10 expel the Greeks from Macedonia.
TO carry on the conflict they obtained
from wealthy Greeks, by force and
blackmail, revolutionary funds. TO
quote from pamphlet issued last May
by the Society of Hellenism Of Athens,
From December, 1901. to the end of
1902 the Bulgarian committee assas-
sinatcd about coo Crock merchants and
other wealthy Greeks Of Macedonia,
and from others by threat and black
mail they raised from $50 to fi,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
donia, as reported in the Nea Hemera
Of Trest, Austria, on Aug. 20, the
total population in the vilayet Of Mon
astir. which consists of the districts
of Korlza, Dibra, Seres and Elbasan,
IS S59, 100. Of whom there are 300. .7s2
Greeks, 174,011 Bulgarians, 14,600 Ser
vians, 1900 Roumanians, 344, 766
Mussulmans and 1850 Jews.
"The vilayet Of Salonilxa, whith con-
slsts OF the districts Of Sierra and
Drame has a population of 1,040,220,
Of which number there are 34S,050
Greeks, 205,SS6 Bulgarians. 225,514
Mussulmans and 80,T70 of other ma
tionalities, Of which number there are
$1,000 Jews. Thus it is seen that all
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 1884 Bui-
garians. According TO the statistics Of
the Turkish government fifty-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 Bulgnrians fighting in Mace
donia today not one has been born in
Macedonia. They all make inroads
from over the frontier. The people
generally are peacefully inclined and
prefer to remain under the Turkish
protection rather than under the Grim
inal rule Of the Bulgarians
OF course behind Bulgaria is Rus
sia, 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
things. l am very sure that the revo-
lutionary movement would never have
risen so strong In fhe absence of Rus
sian consuls. We must not forget that
Macedonia. Albania and Bulgaria are
using every means TO force Russia 10
20 to arms against Turkey. am ask
ing our government, when things are
in this condition, what is the use for
us to have consuls in Macedonia. If
had the power in the government
would recall all our consuls from
there
when the actual revolution began
about a month ago in Krushevo, ac-
cording to the Acropolis Of Athens and
other Greek newspapers, 400 Greeks
were slain and the city was ruined
According 10 the same paper, about
thirty Greek villages were destroyed
in the vilayet OF M0nastir. During the
conflict Of course some Of these vii
Z lagos were destroyed by the Turks,
who found it necessary TO lombard
them in order to drive out the Bul-
garian revolutionists who were defend
I ing themselves there.
According to the papers published
in philippopolis. none Of the Greek
merchants there can easily escape the
blackmail Of the Bulgarians who are
practlcing the money or your life
game.
1--WE find. then. that the Bulgarians
have no right to Macedonia by either
numbers or commercial interest. The
real wealth Of the country is with the
! Greeks"