Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-05
ABDICATloN OF PETER
sERvIAN CONDITIONS DESIRE A
CHANGE OF AFFAIRS.
sp ciaI cablegram to The star.

Sp ciai Csblegram to The Star.
BELGRADE. March 5.-Ever since the
complications growing out of the Servo
Bulgarian convention there has been de-
termined effort on the part of the Servian
people to bring about condition of affairs
in which their country is either recognized
by the great powers of the world, or, fall
ing In this. to bring about the abdication
of King Peter in favor of the heir apparent,
or else provide for substitution of some
other monarch on the throne. The agita-
ton really started among the Servian news
paper men and despite the laws, which al
low very little freedom to the press. 1t
has grown far beyond the original lines.
The claim is made that King Peter himself
Is placed in one of the most unenviable
positions possible Mortified by the out
rage which placed him on throne, the
great powers of the world demanded thai
the regicides should be punished at once.
but the weak monarch who owes his posi-
ton to that very crime has either not had
the will or the power to obey. Great Brit
tin, the United Statesh, Holland, Italy and
Greece have not been even represented in
the country during the present reign and
locally King Peter has discovered that he
is regarded merely as a puppet occupant
Of the throne He Is, according to charges
made by the local newspapers, literally at
the beck and call of the officers who placed
him there, and their requests for appoint
ments or promotions are always obeyed as
though they were royal commands. Lead
Ing Servians say that the king ought never
to have accepted the throne without first
making clean sweep of those concerned in
the death of his predecessor. Instead of
that he kept in positions of trust those
whose hands were bloodstained, and con-
sequently he Is now appalled, with the
possibility that the fate of the Obreno-
witches might also be his
Rally True Friends.
One Belgrade paper urges the king to
rally round him his true friends, If he has
any, and drive out the miscreants who
killed King Alexander and who are now
making his life burden 1t is claimed
that the regicides. knowing the extreme
dangers existing, are running things with
a high hand, and that King Peter is little
more than a prisoner in his own palace.
Since the tariff war between Austria-H Hun
gary and Servia was inaugurated the king
has become even more unpopular than be-
fore, and the difficulties of the government
In obtaining money have become acute
that crisis may be expected almost any
day
Anxious to escape from her economic
servitude to Austria Hungary, Servia
contemplates the time when her agricul-
tural products passing through Bulgaria
by the Black sea ports, may find an open
market all over Europe. But the Servians
are also aware that their exports have
fallen off during the last three years in
an extraordinary degree. Rightly or
wrongly, the rank and file attribute this
fact to the continued absence of diplo-
matte intercourse. After the murder of
King Alexander and Queen Draga most
of the powers withdrew their representa-
tfves from Belgrade. The regicides still
control the affairs of state and occupy the
chief posts of the army. Col. Mashin, who
planned the assault on the palace and
took part in the murder of the queen his
iSt in Ia &c obi OF ,f tl,n faff al
Mishfch was not long ago appointed the
tutor of the crown prince. The conspira-
tors showed their power by bringing
down the Pashich ministry last summer
and by obliging the late foreign minister
to resign Only few days ago they at
tempted to remove their chief enemies
through the medium of a hired gang of
ruffians.
The Belgrade papers are publishing
with interest, though naturally they di-
vide upon the subject in so far as it would
seem to point to the continuance of the
reign of King Peter, a letter written by
Mr. Alfred Stead.
Distated by Horror of Details
After reviewing the causes which led
up to the coup d'etat, he says:
Il do not desire to discuss whether or
not our attitude toward Servia was cor
rect in view of the coup detat of June
II, 1893, although it seems to me to have
disgusting details than by the
actual occurrence. / wish rather to look
upon the matter from the point of view
that our attitude exists and consider it in
relation to the actual situation in south
eastern Europe. Granting even that the
coup detat, which ended the Obrenovitch
dynasty in so tragic manner was worthy
of every Reproduction even to the main
tenance of an attitude of moral withdrawal
from the diplomatic relations on the part
of his majeSty's government (the govern
ment of Great Britain l believe that there
is a sincere and deep feeling among both
the people of Great Britain and Servia
that such a universal natural punishment
is too great a penance for the sins of
some score of individuals.
IF a British minister were to be sent
now to Belgrade under the distinct under
published broadcast, if necessary,
that such action in no way represented
of the events of 1903 should
we not be materially strengthening the
hands of those Servians who desire a
change for the better and freeing them