The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-09-17
HINT TO POWERS
BULGARIA. CAN NOT LONG STAND
PRESENT STRAIN.
news or Fresh Massacres of Chris
uans by Turks Being Reported
EVERY Day--Must Soon Take
steps to Stop Slaughter of Their
Countrymen in Macedonia,

ooha, Bulgaria, Sept. 1.-THE con-
tinuous reports of wholesale massacres
OF Bulgarian population and the aes-
truction of Bulgai ian villages in Mace.
donna are causing much excitement in
ponliticai and general circles here.
Premier Petroff is said to have in
formed representatives of the powers in
Sofia that neither the government nor
the Bulgarian people can witness with
indifference the annIhilation of the
bulgarian element in Macedonia and
the devastation of the country, and un-
less the powers can find some meane of
restraining Turkeys terrible repressive
measures Bulgaria will be forced to
depart from her present attitude of
strict neutrality. While the premier q
intimation was conveyed in the course
OF informal conversation with the Dip
lomats in Sofia, and in no sense intend
ed as an ocfiial communication, it may
be regarded as an indication that the
patience of the Bulgarian people is be-
coming exhausted.
Every day brings news of fresh mas
sacres and outrages in Macedonia. The
revolutionary organizations today pub
lish elaborate statistics giving the
names of Ill villages burned by the
Turkish soldiers. the number of houses
in each, the date of the incendiarism
and particulars of the number of per-
sons murdered in each case.
Official representatives residing here
are suspiciously reticent. but no doubt
exists regarding the terrible barbarities
practiced by the Turkish regulars and
Bashi Razouks on helpless women and
children in Macedonia.
The Sofia government has hitherto
withstood all attempts on the part OF
Macedonian com mittees to draw Bull
garia into war with Turkey, but the
trend of affairs is becoming daily more
critical and the position of the ministry
more difficult.
The official view of the situation con-
tinues pessimistic, but in other quar-
ters the belief prevails that the powers
will shortly propose new scheme of
pacicfiation in Macedonia, and thus
remove the possibility of Turko-Bnl-
garian war.
Hope In Czar's Visit.
Much confidence is expressed that
the approaching visit of the car to vi
emma will result in the peaceful sold
ton of the difficulties. kilograms
from the frontier indicate approaching
disturbances in Northern and Eastern
Macedonia.
A European merchant who left
Monastir Sept. s, has arrived at Sofia
and has given the Associated Press cor
respondent an account of the terrible
conditions prevailing in the vilayet of
Monastir. hilmi Pasha is following
the lines of his predecessors, and the
greatest excuses that have ever been
committed have happened since his ar
rival.
Throughout the vilayet of Monastir
the Turkish soldiers are daily perpe-
trating almost inconceivable atrocities.
The informant of the Associated Press
says the Christian inhabitants are ter
or-stricken, hourly fearing a general
massacre by the Mussulmans. whose
fanatical hatred of the Christians has
reached tho highest point. The shops
are closed in Monastir, business ia sus:
pended and tho streets are deserted.
Even the consuls do not dare to venture
outside their homes. The country peo-
ple are afraid to come to the city lest
they should be robbed and murdered
on the way. Europeans desiring to see
the burned villages are prevented by
the authorities on various excuses.
The British consul wanted to go to
Smilevo, but Filmi Pasha informed
him that he could not guarantee his
safety. as the revolutionists had plotted
to kill him.
The informant continues that it is
estimated that there are over 70.0oo
people in the fields without shelter,
and starving. Hilmi Pasha has prom
;sed the consuls that he will assist the
destitute people, but he bas done moth
inc and even refuses to allow them to
enter the town and beg for goods. The
Turkish functionaries openly scott at
the idea of reforms or Euuruopean in
teryentjon, declaring that should armed
European forces come the Turks would
Immediately burn, destroy and massa-
ere, leaving only bare fields throughout
Macedonia.