The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-17

SS~0 in Europe. At that time 2.000 of the best | warriors crossed the Bosphorus to assist | Emperor Botoniates in one of the petty wars which were then of frequent occur 1 renee Before the end of the century. however, the Turks had made their name known throughout the world, for they had reduced such countries as Bulgaria. | Thessaly and Macedonia, to subjection, | and had become rulers over all of Vest ern Asia. In 1892 they turned their at- tention to Europe In 145s they captured 1 Constantinople, named after the Roman Constantine, which has since been their capital. From that day their power was l extended with rapidity, until they threat l ened to gain mastery of the whole of Eu- | rope.
 In 1925. however, solyman I. suffered his first serious defeat, and ever since the l glory of the Empire has waned. Step by step the Turks have been driven out of their European territories. Upper Hun gary and Transylvania were abandoned as early as 1895. In 1769 they were ex- pelled from Crimea. and in 1906 the Rus sian frontier was further advanced. The success of the Greek war for independ- ence cost them that country. But the greatest blow struck to Turkey was the war of 1876, which cost the Empire Bull garia, Thessaly. Eastern Roumelia and a strip of Armenia, as well as the entire independence of Roumania. Montenegro and Servia, and the loss of administra- ton over Bosnia, Herzegovina and Cy- prus
 Advance on Europe Checked.
 Thus was the Turk shorn of the gains of his early victories; thus was his power | effectively and peremptorily checked. Yet the rancorous jealousies of the European Powers-the fear that one may gain a larger share of the Oriental bird than It's | rival-has enabled the 'sick man of Flu
 rope" as. he is termed, to remain quietly on his throne, to witness the slaughter of thousands and to feel secure in his po- sition so long as cupidity and desire for possession inflame the breasts of the Christian nations.
 , To the unfathomable hckleness of na- ture Is also due a goodly share of the | present strife. Macedonia is the richest ? broad fields left to the Sublime Porte. Her ! broad fields, including the vtlayet of Sa- - lonica and part of Monastir, afford splenA r did ground for cattle raising and for ag-
 riculture. Her people, hardy race, have | made good use of them. Naturally they
 rebel against the ever-increasing burden | of taxes imposed upon them by the Con- S stantine Turk. While the descendant of V | the ancient Tartar lolls at east in his fla o vorite cafe, drinking his narcotic and puffing lazily upon his narghiles, with lOuK, | coils, or inhaling fragrance with cherry l wood stems, the Macedonian, part Greek,
 part Hebrew, part, in fact. of almost ev- s cry race, tolls in the Eastern sun to keep = himself aand family from want. Natur- = ally his spirit in time rebels. Then revo- = luton and freedom from the hated do- :, minion arises in his breast Secret bands Q are formed and revolution is but se- !. | ouence. These minor revolutions have = taught the Macedonian the value of or- a ganization and the revolution of today is being operated on an organized scale. q Greatest Dread Moslem Revolt. e But there is still amore potent factor > behind the revolutionary spirit of the ? | Macedonian. While the Sultan fears a l, revolution of the Christian element of his 5 | people what he dreads far worse Is a = revolt among those of his own creed, the = Moslem Should the latter occur his 8 | power would be instantly gone and his
 own life would be the forfeit In much l the same way that Russia permits the . l overflow passions of her native peas , antry to cool off by occasionally permit I ting a slaughter of Jews. so the Sultan v | to keep his wild and savage soldiery and v disciples of Allah in check allows them . to prey unhndered upon the Christians. The Sultan cheats the government by , his autocratic and high-handed use oi a | power and wealth. his officials cheat thu 1 I 2 | cheat the Christian dogs" So the cor | ruption extends througnout the entir' , l ramifications of the government. ThiI
 practice leads to the frequent wtping ou Y | of a Macedonian village. The hghtinl ? men are killed or put to flight, the wom
 en dishonored, or carried off, if of sufh | cient beauty, to be sold as adornments o the harems of wealthy Pashas. children brains are dashed out against the doc a silla of their homes. When a sufficient
 large slaughter occurs to be known as
 massacre the Powers protest to the Sul
 tan, who orders an investigation. Tn
 Governor of the vilayet reports that tn
 assassins are unknown and the Sulta
 makes promises of reforms, and the ai
 fair is repeated at the next opportun , moment.
 How Revolts are Fostered.
 Such savagery as this makes fghtin
 demons of men formerly living placid an
 peaceful lives Families and homes gon'
 there is npthing else thought of but re
 venge So revolutions are fostered agains
 the Tartar.
 It is an old saw that the Turk is mil
 in nature when not cutting off head
 The Tartar is sleeping in him. Accu'
 toned to a life of indolence and ease, 8
 lent sphynx-like. imperturbable-whe
 fully aroused, he is the barbarian of tn
 ancient days. Then 1t is that his fanat
 cisrn, born of the teachings of Mohan
 med, crops out. Death is not only nc
 feared. but courted To kill a "Christia
 dog is glory. The life of every infid
 adds to his own luster in the Mosle
 heaven.
 Thus it is that the Turk has won h
 sobriquet "unspeakable.' His cruelu
 are unequalled the world around. Feroc
 ty is the only word approaching d
 scription of his temper. Fires of hatr'
 and passion. untamed for ages. but ner ly held in check. are ever ready to giC to white heat. Such is the contestant q Ia patient, peace-loving Armenian, the ar As bilious Bulgarian. the warlike Macedo
 ian has to combat. In this respect t
 Turks position relative to his netghpo