The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-05
BALKAN POLITICS.
some Things n Portend . Rumsnian-
Servian- Bull arian Alliance.

To THE EDITOR OF The sUS-Si: The
visit Of the Austrian Arch duke Stephen to
Constantinople and his reception by the
Sultan last week were connected with affairs
Of particular Importance. Matters in the
Balkans are gradually coming to a head. and
appearances are that an early day will see a
beginning made in the regulation Of questions
that have been in allegiance for a number OF
years but now call for definite settlement.
The recent disturbances at Fiums In Hun
gary between Croats and MAgyars were
caused by the failure Of the efforts Of mod
crate men on both sides TO bring about an
understanding between the two nationalities
The cause is said to have been the chauvinism
Of the Croats stimulated. so 1t Is said. from
V%ienna), who. to strengthen the Slavonic
influence in Hungary. desire the definite
annexation Of the occupied provinces Of Bos-
MIA and Herzegovina to Austria.
The project had been carried so far that the
municipal council Of Agram. the capital OF
Croatia, had decided to send an address to
the Emperor Francis Joseph, who was for the
first time since the occupation about to visit
Trebinje in Herzegovina, near the Montene-
grin frontier. This. IL was felt at Vienna,
would so complicate the relations with Italy
on the one hand and Turkey on the other,
owing to the excitement already growing in
the two provinces, that il was thought better
the Emperor should give up his intention and
send the heir TO the Austrian throne, the
Archduke Ferdinand, In his place; and the
presentation OF the address mad consequently
to be abandoned.
The other incident il connected with a visit
made by ktng Peter OF Servia to NegotIn, a
town near the northwestern Bulgarian from
tier. In reply to an address OF welcome, in
which the King was assured that every Serv-
ian yas ready to sacrifice NE and iortune foT
his pleasure at meeting the people of NeGotin
and reminded them Of the heroic exploits of
his ancestor Kara geor gevitch in the war for
Servian liberty against the Turks. That lib
erty won with so much sacrifice was more
difficult to pr reserve than to gain. and there
fore il was their. duty to be ready to defend
IL against any who might thInk Of putting u
in dan ger; ana a s .1 IL b would Id Sni te ne nyeS
the peace OF the Balkans. but would always
be ready to repel energetically the attempts
to seize something to the prejudice OF ma
tional interests. 1T Is thus" he said. Il
understand the duty inherited from my an
CeStOr, and YOU, the descendants OF Nelko'
will do the same.
The ILLUSIONS to the Austrian efforts TO
bring Servia under fiscal and commercial
control were so transparent that they were
taken up by the Vienna papers and formed
the subject Of some very emphatic writing.
Conformity with this came the declarations OF
the Rumanian press to the effect that any
attack on Bulgaria and trouble IN the Balkans
would bring the Rnmanian army into the
field against the aRgTessor. The significance
of this was not misinterpreted at either
Vienna or Constantinople, and in the latter
capital the, Grand Vizier. Ferid Pacha, dis
claimed all hostile intentions against Bull
garia, thus diferentiating Turkey from the
only other possible en- envy or enemies Of Bull
garia. and minimizing. so far as Turkey was
concerned, the effect of the Rumanian threat.
The conclusion indicAed by this situation is
a Rumanian- Bull arian- Servian triple alliance.
guarding Monten exro and the two Turkish
provinces occupied by Austria against annex
alton and conquest and Servia itself from
ABSORPTION by Austria.
At Berlin the growing siren 9Th and infu-
ence Of Bulgaria are regarded with no friendly
eve, and il is probable that but for tn revo-
Iutionary conditions in Russia. which IL il
feared in Berlin may be indefinitely prolon ged,
there would be Joint action on the part Of the
members Of the old Dreikaiserbnnd to put
an end to the independence OF the small
Balkan and Danubian States. As II il. the
situation il fraught with danger to the peace
of Europe. PERA.
New YORK, October T.