The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-15
BULGARIA DISSOLVES
MACEDONIAN LEAGUES
Officers Arrested and Papers
COnflsCated.
CRISIS IN BALKANS AT HAND
Powers to Demand Mild Reforms of
Abdul Hamia, Calculated to Ex-
asperate Macedonia.

SOFIA. Feb. I'm. DaneT. the Bull
garian premier. announced in the
Sobranjc ,oday that the government had
decided 20 dissolve all the Macedonian
societies in Bulgaria. and TO arrest and
prosecute tho members OF these organi-
cations for abusing the law I'm regard to
the liberty OF association.
In accordance with this decision the
police searched the Offices of the cen
trail Macedonian committee. coEfscated
all the papers, arrested the president
and the vice president and many=others.
including the presiding officer Of the
Macedonian Society of which NJ. SaraGof,
the finance minister and the leader OF
The Nlacedonians. is the ostensibIe presi-
dent
The dissolution OF hese provincial So
cieties has been accomplished every
where without the slightest opposition
on the part OF the Macedonians, who
have called for a public meeting tomOr-
row Sunday to protest against this ac-
ton and to demand the liberation OF the
prisoners.
Aim to ExasPeTate Macedoniaas.
LONDON. Feb. 4-Dcvelopments in
the Balkan crisis promise TO be mors
rapid than was anticipated ten days ago
There is now ample authority. despite
official deuials. for saying that Turkey
has already massed 100. 600 troops on tho
Bulgarian frontier. The process by
which the climax viii be reached. ac-
cordiug TO present indications. viii b.
slightly different from that indicated in
these dispatches last week.
int
/ yeutfon az Constantinople at first in
cluded a demand on the sultan lor gen
/ uine reforms ia Macedonia. which. if
/ granted. would have suficed 10 induce
/ the abandonment of the revolutionary
/ plans of the oppressed inhabitants. u
/ was. OF course. wei understood hat
/ there was little chance that Abdul fam
/ id would yield reforms amounting 10
partial autonomy OF Macedonia. but o
\ refusal by him would have thrown con-
/ siderable responsibility for The outbreak
/ OF hostility upon the TURKS. These d.
mands included the appointment of q
/ foreign governor Of Macedonia.
Concert Not All Harmony.
The explanation OF the long delay IN
pressing this program upon the Sultan
( when time was or vital Importance. IS
/ that The scheme Of reforms has been
SUBSTANTIALLY modified. The reason for
the change has not transDi-ed. but the
failure Of complete assent on the part
OF all the powers is one Of the expIana-
tions limited at.
IL is now understood that the list OF
demands which win be submitted 90 The
. Sultan next week. with the solemn
backing of the concert Of Europe. will
include mild and Intellectual measures
: which that shrewd sovereign can make
q virtue Of accepting. even without put
ting his tongue i'm his check In fact
I notice has already been sent from the
Nildiz Kiosk tnaJ the modified scheme
is quite acceptable there. The result
! viii be same as though more drastic
reforms had been submitted and re-
jeCted
Reforms Which VIII Not Satisfy.
The latest policy OF Russia aud Aus
tria. - far as this aim is concerned. is a
mere farce. SIS those two powers are fully
aware that the effect will more likely De
eXaspCrating than palliative.
The situation, on the whole. therefore
appears To be more serious than ever
and Right Hon. James Bryce. Liberal
member Of parliament for the south di-
vision of Aberdeen. and formerly Cabi-
net minister does not eNagEerate when
he saws that the danger, Of a conGagra-
lion caused bv the Macedonian affair is