Arizona republican., 1903-05-18
The Balkan Outlook.

HC Ddlhdh OdIiOOh'
 Dispatches from Berlin state that the German government, while consid- ering the Balkan situation grave. still believes that there are good grounds for hoping that really serious complica- tions may be prevented during the summer and an arrangement for com posing all difficulties will then be reach cd in the winter when military opera tioas are no longer possible. Relations between the Turkish and the Bulgarian governments are certainly very much strained just at present. but there seems to be small inducement for them to come to an open rupture. The great powers of Europe are bound to protect Bulgaria from any encroachments on the part of Turkey ard yet would not permit this little state to acquire terri tory in Macedonia. Nor are the finan- ces of either Turkey or Bulgaria equal to the strain of carrying on war on an extensive scale
 While. therefore there seems to be good reason to believe that the various governments could, if they sincerely wished to do so. maintain the present status quo, the great danger is that tn" peoples especially concerned will break loose from control and precipitate condition of affairs, in spite of those who wish to rule their destinies, which will make intervention unavoidable. The races inhabiting those regions are ignorant and fanatical; their animosi- ties have been raised to a fever heat. and there is a state of anarchy pro- duced by centuries of nisrule which even the great powers recognize to be nc longer endurable. To put an end to these troubles they are bringing great pressure to bear upon the sultan to force him to institute reforms in the government of these provinces. The readiness of that willy potentate to make promises and his unreadiness to fulfill them are we'll known. The in- teresting question. therefore, is whether the Macedonians will wait until the de- sired reforms are brought about by the slow course of diplomatic negotiations. The revolutionary leaders understand the situation well and seek to hasten matters by increasing the disorder all ready existing. Any change that could occur would probably be for the better, while a passive submission would be almost certainly claimed by the Turks as proof that the people were contented and, therefore, that no reforms were called for, which would result in delay ing them indefinitely.
 Then, too. an uprising of the Mohan medan subjects of the sultan is a con- tingency which must De considered. | Their hatred for the unbeliever may | lead them at any time to cast questions l of policy to the winds and enter upon l a war of extermination, rather than submit to the dictation of foreigners. | Such an outburst of fanaticism has long been considered by foreigners liv- | ing in Turkey as quite within the range | of possibility; indeed. by many as cer- tain to occur at some time. All these | things constitute a tangled skein of | NClAAAlNtAAlS i4lAtiFENSr HluNudl ndlIt4S and jealousies, the unravelling of which | without bringing on a war seems well nigh impossible. The strongest point in favor cf such desirable result is the apparently perfect understanding between Russia and Austria. These two powers combined can bring a pres sure to bear on the sultan which he can hardly dare to resist, and at the same time they seem inclined to act with moderation. The other nations appear to recognize the necessity of some action being taken to control the forces at work and to be willing for Russia and Austria, to take the lead ing part, although of course watching each step closely IT sufficient time, therefore, is allowed them for the ob- of all the formalities of dipIo- macy matters may be settled without serious outbreak. but the danger lies in the impotence of the Macedonians and the fanaticism of the Mohammedan subjects of the sultan.