Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25
THES[RV|AN TROUBLES
Crooked Course of the Politics
of That Country.
ITS UNSTABLE THRONE.
All It's Rulers Have Been Exiled or
Assassinated.
RUSSIA'S BALEFUL INFLUENCE
Responsible for the Evils Which Have
Beset the Unhappy State-A
Diplomats Talk.
RUssIA's BALEFUL INFLUENCE

crooked course. the beginning OF which an
tedates the brutal assassination Of young
King Alexander the last of the Obreno-
witches" said prominent diplomat. IN dis
cussing the Balkan troubles and politics
None of its rulers has enjoyed tranquil
life, each one having kept his precarious
seat with difficulty, then to be either ex-
lied or made to suffer violent death. Black
George. the founder of the first dynasty
was brutally murdered Michael Obreno-
Witch was hewn to pieces in the Toptshider
Park, near Belgrade and so on. All this
betrays a mystery which encompasses the
Seryian throne. and its instability makes
peaceful government impossible, and where
the real cause of this general turbulence
lies no one cognizant of the affairs there
has ever been able to learn.
The ambitions of the Servians, unfortu-
nately are not likely to prove fruitful. OF
about five millions of them only little more
than two live within the confines of the
little kingdom. They dream of great Ser
via, which will make the glorfes Of the an
cient kingdom live again, when Servia,
Croatia, Dalmatia. Bosnia, Herzegovina and
Macedonia will be united under one scepter
and governed from Belgrade. Their char
acteristios are hard to describe and the
best pen pictures are those of Prosper Meri-
NEE, who has made them the subjects OF
uncanny and weird tales, but unusually true
to life, in which he depicts them as intense
ly superStitiouS and morbid.
Political Greed.
"The political creed of most Of the Ser
Wan people is radicalism, the program OF
the leaders being friendship with Russia
and hostility to Austria in foreign politics;
the reduction of taxes to the verge of aboll-
ton and the pursuit of spirited national
policy which would eventually lead to the
annexation of all the Serbs of every nation
atty and ultimately nat na the yt% IL o pa
reasonable. holding that a state govern
ment can be kept going only by contribu-
ting toward its expenses, suitable taxes
being therefore levied AS to relations
with Austria. even the liberals admit that
they can never love her, yet they are wise
enough not to seek any preteXt for guar.
rel with her inasmuch as she is one OF
their best customers-hence material sup
port The liberals would cultivate friendly
relations with their political patroness Rus-
STA and also with their customer and next
door neighbor. Austria. The radicals, en-
the other hand. are bent on provoking Aus
tria to cut off their suppltes-pigs, sheep,
horses, prunes. wheat and other staple ex-
ports, Of which the first is the most impof-
tant-and on maintaining numerous army,
while relieving the people OF nearly the
entire burden of taxation How they could
do 1t | cannot understand. The two parties
have been on the warpath. as 1t were,
against each other for some time. and their
country suffers result of their disas-
trous quarrels. 1t is. | must say, the in
fiuence Of the radicals which is responsible
for the. anxiety existing today in the Balkan
states TO form a Zollverein, or trade and
customs union. which will make them indie
pendent of Austria. The latter is now some
what concerned over the recently reported
secret alliance arranged between Servia ard
Bulgaria. because it would mean the rise Of
a powerful state her eastern frontier
and the lessening of her influence in the
Balkans.
The Most Troubled Government,
"Servia, too is the most troubled of the
Balkan governments, being half recognized
and half unrecognized by the great states,
uncertain what the next hour may bring
forth. The crime in connection with the
death of the king and queen in 1903 only
serves to bring to mind what the condi-
lions in that region are, conditions truly
chronic, and dangerous because not only do
they threaten the instability of the seat of
government and the insecurity OF the rulers,
but because of the utter lack of political
unselfshness which can subordinate per-
sonal interests to the general good, and the
absolute impossibility of framing any policy
with the materials at hand that shall re-
spond to the real interest of the people.
THE frtendliness OF Russia for Servia
comes from two causes; first, Russias own
interest In Servia, which Is taken by the
Serbs as disinterested; second, Russia's
haste--I can call 1t nothing else-as great
power to recognize the new regime after
King Peter assembled the throne an action
In the words OF an American diplomat was
an apotheosis of regicide and military In
subordination and treachery that was least
to be expected from state that had lost
It's great ear by the hands or nurderers.
This indicates to my mind that potent
Russian forces are at work TO complete a
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of Servia, and that the
power behind its throne Is subservient to
Russian wishes Russia. as was shown by
her relation to Manchuria, always begins
by being a friend in need. and then slowly
evolves her interest to egotism, despotism
and selfishness. The cZar never yields
Difference to the abstract, and nfhilism of
which little is heard now. is always a
power In the Balkans.
An Implacable Tyrant.
ut was believed for time that when
the car declared war upon Japan he de-
livered to the Balkan states then under his
influence an ukase Of emancipation no less
complete and irrevocable than that which
his predecessor bestowed upon the serfs.
But while there Is always talk of indie
nendent states and independent policies In
the Balkan peninsula, Russia has always
remained a silent and implacable tyrant.
nation like Russia is not apt to WOO the
god of silence when she is sure OF success,
because she is vain. She foresaw catas-
trophies which would have to be made up
one way or another. What, or VINO, Is going
to make up for her recent losses? Not
France not Germany, not England; but any
one-or more-of the little kingdoms which,
while of no value to themselves, would be
valuable to Russia, singly or collectively.
Whether the powers would permit 1t or not
is to be considered. l will add that Monte
negro, which is very small in area, and
the population not so numerous as some
wards in the city of New York, will never
be made the political morsel of Russia. This
because the little state has married into
Russian, German. Servian and italian royal
houses But even such little thing as inter-
marriage would not disturb Russia, were
IT not for the international Importance
Montenegro gained by having a daughter of
the reignng family on the italian throne
which. If pacific and unobtrusive is always
a potent factor In international politics.
But take Bulgaria. Servia and Roumania.
They have enjoyed prosperity as long as
they consented to obey the cars despotic
will. At the outset OF the Russo-Turki5n
war Roumania was mistrusted for her IN
cipient independence and her offers OF help
were contemptuously rejected. 1t was only
when Russia began to fear lest the defeat
of Turkey might be deferred for years that
Roumania was called on by piteous appeals
to come to the rescue. These appeals were
generously heard; the brave Roumanian
army turned the scales in the conflict ami
the allies advanced to the gates of Con-
stautinople. How was Roumania reward
ady-oI,y f4aa coDffseatfor1 Of her hest Y,rav-