Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-08-17

MOnCrtdl, 1dildud.
ness or property. Some of these Bull
garians, who, with their families, had
been established for 20 years or more,
We're utterly ruined. AS this order
applied equally to professors and school
masters the Bulgarian schools were
closed before the end of the school
year
The authorities vigorously enforced
the same order against the Bulgarian
priests, making every effort to paralyze
the development of religious and edu-
cational works, deprive the Bulgarian
exarch of all his privileges and force
the people to come under the authority
of the Greek patriarch. Encouraged
| by the Ottoman authorities the Greek
| bishops and archimandrites forced
| their way into the Bulgarian churches,
| burned the prayer books and employed
menaces to compel the people to
acknowledge the patriarch. The archi-
| mandrite of Salonica declared in a re-
cent sermon that the Sultan did not
want Bulgarian eXarches in his empire;
! if they remained they would be eX-
| terminated.
In addition to the decree banishing
the Bulgarian tradesmen, from Con-
| stanIinople and SaloniCa, the Porte
adopted measures to ruin the traders
elsewhere. The provincial administra-
ton employed every possible means to
install Mussulmans in the bulgarian
villages. On the slightest preteXt the
| i5ulgarians We're forced to sell thelr
lands 20 the Turks at any price the lat
ter chose to pay. Burdened with taxes,
| liable to perform statute labor for the
| Turkish land owners the population is
| reduced to a state of serfdom. This Is
one of the principal causes of discon-
tent and when is added the cxactions
OF the traders it is not difficult to un-
derstand why the Wrctched people had
revolt from such q despotic govern
ment ard servitude.
In conclusion the memorandum as
serts that the foregoing exposure once
more condemns Ottoman admiuiStra
tive government in Europe. 1t says
! mot long ago the Porte denounced
the revolutionary movement as being
formented by Bulgaria and tried to put
the responsibility on this principality.
| Today it must acknowledge that ii is
it's bad administra ton which is the only
cause of the trouble. From sad eXper
| fence the the Porte must learn that
| systematic persecution, cruel injustice
and bloody repression do not restore
| order and peace in Il country. The
| Porte accepted in principle the project
of reform which it has not put into
effect. 1t has declared that the project
iC t6ri 40
mally promised the Bulgarian govern
mcnt to cease the arrests of Bulgarian
priests and school masters. reopen the
| churches and schools, release the pris-
oners and punish the officials guilty Of
eXactions; in short to adopt a policy of
justice and amelioration.
Not only has the Porte failed to
| observe a single one of these promises
but it has enacted sterner measures Of
repression"
The memorandum has made a strong
impression in diplomatic circles. The
Austrian diplomatic agent already has
called on the premier to express his
anxiety regarding the results that may
ensue from its publication. The French
and italian agents also expressed
uneasiness.
Constantinople. Aug 16.-The british
ambassador has called the attention OF
the Porte to the serious situation in Mace
donna He pointed out that grave conse-
quences may attend fresh murders OF
consuls or foreign subjects. The ambas-
sador mad an audience with the Sutton on
Friday.
The Ottoman government has concluded
negotiations with the krupp works fof
the supply of 81 batteries of quick-firng
field artillery each consisting of six guns.
The officials here affect ignorance OF
the news that Russia is sending a quad
ron to Turkish waters They say that
two divisions of the Russian Black sea
usual autumn maneuvres left Batoum,
three days ago. and some of the vessels
will probably visit ports on the Turkish
Black sea-Littoral as as was the case
nificance and they scout the idea of a
Russian naval demonstration. Official
reports assert that the insurgents, when
they occupied the town of Krushevo, mas
sacred all the Turkish functionaries.
The recapture of the town was effected
by three Turkish columns operating from
different points. The bombardment by
the Turkish artillery exploded number
of dynamite mines behind the rebel en-
trenchments, causing considerable dam
mountains, where the fighting continues.
A large number of insurgents took refuge |
in the church of the town. and the Turk |
ish military commandment asked Constan- |
tinOple for permission to lombard the |
church. In reply he was instructed not to
lombard it, but to accept the surrender
of the insurgents. Negotiations to this |
end are now proceeding
In the fighting around Perlepe, 100 in |