The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-26
Situation Is So Complicated that Any
Rash Moves Would Result to the
Detriment OF All.
INSURGENTS MUCH TO BLAME
COMMIT OUTRAGES TO PROVOKE
TURKEY TO MORE ATROCITIES.
England i'm Full Accord with Russia
and Austria-Disquieting News
from Seat of Trouble.


DOMAIN situation. The letter is a reply to
the archbishop's action in drawing atten-
ton to the growing uneasness among
church men at the apparent apathy of the
powers while unspeakable atrocities are
perpetrated in Macedonia
Mr.. Balfour says he is in entire SYM
pathy with the feelings OF horror and in
dignation and fully understands the de-
sire to give expression in public meeting
TO the sentiment of Reproduction which re-
cent events justified. Mr.. Balfour then
proceeds to analyze the situation. He says:
eve have not to deal with a simple ques-
ton OF misgovernment or oppression by
Turkish officials. but with a problem COM
plicated by the fact that the Christian
population of Macedonia is rent in frag-
ments by differences of race, aggravated
by differences of religion; and in addition
to the ills inflicted by a corrupt and in
capable administration and by an ill-paid
and undisciplined soldiery and by detest-
able system of taxation, we have TO reckon
with all the ills which. in a population not
imbued with Western ideas of humanity.
rival nationalities and sects. DO not scruple
to infiict on one another" MIR. Balfour
adds: "The instrument whereby the situa-
ton may be dealt with is the concert of
Europe. But this. even were they all in
harmony. is necessarily slow, and may
easily be ineffective if the problem is COM
pick.
1T was matter of congratulation when
Russia and Austria, acting with the author
ity of Europe, proposed to press the scheme
OF reforms which, while lacking In theoret-
ical perfection, came within the circuit of
practical politics. and would. il more earn
estly pressed by the Porte and more frank
ly accepted by the Macedonian population
have spared the world the horrors it has
since witnessed. Neither of these condi-
tons was fulfilled. The Porte. as usual
was dilatory, and failed TO see that a policy
of humanity was policy of wisdom. The
revolutionists have deliberately done their
best to drive the Turk TO excuses and fur
nish him with an excuse for deferring the
execution of reforms, meeting horrors with
horrors and brutality with brutality, for the
deliberate purpose of driving the Turk to
crimes against the innocent and thus play
on the sympathies of the world.
Such methods as these are no more NOR
ally tolerable than the misgovernment which
is their excuse.
Coming to the question of the attitude
of Great Britain. Mr.. Balfour points out
that Russia. Austria and Turkey cannot
be Indifferent TO "A territorial redistribu-
ton in the peninsula, while Greece Bull
ested in the fate of the province whose
Christian population is made up from all
their nationalities These external comph-
cations are doubled by internal ones, be-
cause of religious differences. the Moham-
medans fearing Christian rule, while the
exarchists and Christians prosecute the
patriarchists, and the Greeks who are pa
triarchists would sooner find protection
under the rule OF the Sultan than be left
to fight the matter out with the Bulgarians.
who are eXarchiStS.
cit is with a problem such as this that
one has to deal" says Mr.. Bafour, land
i cannot but believe that the best hope of
dealing with il lies i'm the continued CO.
operation of Russia and Austria, strength
ened with the support and aided by the
advice of the other signatories of the treaty
of Berlin.
These countries possess Mr. Baifour
asserts, incompatible influence over the
antagonistic forces in the peninsula: in
fact. no other nation or group of nations
could do il at all If Russia and Austria
were hostile. Great Britain was not pre-
cluded by the policy outlined from Offering
suggestions. which already had been done,
and she will continue TO do so. But it
would be folly TO forget that there are
occasions when two powers stronger
than three, and that an addition to the
numbers carries dimi9ntion of efficiency.
These principles, concluded Mr.. BaIfour,
direct the policy of the British government
in the near East, and he has no doubt that
they are in accordance with British inter-
ests and in obedience to them lies the best
hope of improving the condition Of the
Macedonians and the security of European
peace.
1t was stated at the Foreign Office to-
day that Sir Nicholas O'Connor. the Brit
ish ambassador at Constantinople. had been
instructed to inform the Porte that neither
Turkey nor Bulgaria must expect support
from the British government in resisting
openly or secretly the execution of the re-
forms proposed for Macedonia, as already
promulgated; that the reforms, in the opin-
ion of the British government. were the
minimum of what was required; that the
steps taken 10 give effect TO them, even
making allowance for the difficulties of the
situation, were lamentaby inadequate and
that far more prompt and more effective
measures for this purpose were required
than had hitherto been adopted by the
Turkish authorities. The Bulgarian gov
ernment received a similar intimation.