The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1908-11-05

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and Austria were more influential than
any Of their sister nations In the Bal
kan groups affairs.
or the two, Russia's word carried
somewhat greater weight than AUS
tria's. result, probably OF racial sim
iiarity and preference.
Russia was dominant In Turkey, too,
Germany didn't like this. Perhaps
Austria didn't, either, but It was Ger
many which undertook to@remedy the
situation.
1t went to work recently through
Ixzet Pasha to win the sultan's friend
ship and succeeded. Commercially and
politically the kaiser became almost
ali powerful In Constantinople.
Russia growled o great deal but
worce was TO come.
without the slightest previous warm
ing, 1T was announced one morning
that the sultan had granted q con-
cessi0n. to Austria - build line
through the Sandjak and into Mace
donia, connecting the Austrian and
Turkish railroads.
Tt was a most important develop
ment, for 1t gave those In control OF
the line all kinds Of business and mill
itary advantages in the Balkans.
stuck to It's Scheme.
Russia protested hut Austria stuck
to it's scheme and Germany announced
II would help Austria, if necessary.
Whether Germany and Austria acted
separately, as allies, or whether Ats
tria was merely Germans tool In this
as it is said to haye been in subse-
g. al mSA
uation, the rest of Europe hasn't de-
cided.
They worked along the same lines
and aided one another, anyway.
Not many weeks after the granting
OF the Sandjak railway concession a
story cropped out to the effect that
King Peter of Servia was conspirins
to form a federation OF the Balkan
states under Russian protection, that
Peter was to be the federation's head
and that Bosnia and Herzegovina were
to be annexed. se
This was a direct Jab at Austria,
which Instantly suspected Russia of
using Peter to get back at the Vienna
government for Its successes with the
sultan.
Peter denied the story and Austria
couldn't prove Russia's connection
with the rumored plot.
1t was suspected, however, that the
attempt was made again and again
and Austria finally got very much pro-
voked about 1t.
Then IL began to be reported that
Ferdinand of Bulgaria was working on
the federation plan and Europe infer
red that Russia had thrown Peter over
as poor conspirator and engaged the
prince, instead.
The federation scheme was still sim
mering when the sultan's troops In
Macedonia revolted, forced Abdul to
grant new constitution and set up a
new government at Constantinople.
The first thing the new government
did was to abrogate the concession for
Austria's Sandjak railway. 1t also put
an end to German influence at the
capital
ii all happened so suddenly that
Germany and Austria were still gasp
| ing with surprise when everything
was over and they stood again ION the
! outside"
Got What He Wanted
They are known to suspect Russian
Foreign Minister Isolsky OF engineer
ms the revolution to get even with
them. Whether he did or not ne go,
what he wanted,
Things went along like this for .
few weeks and then the new Turkish
prime minister. omitted to invite the
Bulgarian representative at Constan'
tinople to a dinner, he was giving K
the diplomatic corps.
The Representative wrote to Prince
i Ferdinand that he thought the Turk.
lish reformers were trying to rub Il
into" Bulgaria that the latter was 6
vassal state.
i Ferdinand thought so, too, and re.
called his representative.
TO show that he could be disagree.
able himself when he chose he also
| seized the Bulgarian division of Tur'
keys Oriental railway--nominally be.
cause there was a strike on 1t and alst
on the ground that 1t discriminate
against Bulgarian commerce, but re
ally. the other powers thought. to picl
q quarrel.
This quarrel was still unsettled
when English, French and Russian
diplomats in Vienna heard rumo
that Austria was going TO back III
Bulgaria In declaring It's independents,
and intended subsequently to anne:
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
4 They rushed to Foreign Ministe
Won Aeranthai to ask IL 1t were true
The minister said mo" so emphat
ically that they believed him and re
ported accordingly to their RESPECTIVE
4 governments.
II a la nw frxra Yo% Dav1~ V-ts
tiid declare it's independence and tw,
days after that Austria annexed Bos
Mia and Herzegovina. II announce,
that 1t intended to compensate Tur
key by handing back the Eandtak-
no great concession since Turkey ha,
had the Eandjak all the time. TIL
Austrian troops haven't left 1t YET
either. Maybe they never will.
Perhaps Germany wasn't tirsctl
concerned in the Austrian and Brl
4 garian strokes or state" but II Ger
tainly knew about them in advance
So did Italy. Maybe Russia did.
England and France hadn't beel
consulted. To them the whole thin
was complete surprise. The YER
suddennsss with which 1t was don
would have angered them, even |
4 there hadn't been q question of
, broken treaty involved,
Il The quarrel has been raging wit
varying degrees Of intensity eve
since. It isn't ended yet.
!, Division OF the spoils.
Here's what the powers do an
don't set out OF the sllake-up:
Il Austria gets two provinces to whic
! II had only defective title befors