The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-12-10

boys of an ordinary family furnish the
most frequent occasions of neighbor-
hood broils, so the small members of
the family of nations are the most fire.
qnent disturbers of the peace of the
world. Little Venezuela seemed at
one time to have brought England and
America to swords points. Cuba's
troubles embrolled the United States
with Spain. The little Transvaal re-
public, naughty and defiant, shook the
finances aud tested the resources of the
most powerful of European nations.
Morocco only yesterday came near set
ting France and Germany by the ears.
Last but not least, Bulgaria and S-rvia,
in sudden fnrore of natiOnalistic
spirit, did their best to bring on gen.
eral European war.
Both these little nations, judging
from the daily reports, would "rather
tight than eat" Yet neither of them
could give any substantial reason for
going to war. They could, if they
chose, eat the bread Of peace for an in-
definite period were they satisfied to
content themselves with building up
industrial aud commercial interests.
Turkish rule over Bulgaria had already
become 80 much of fiction that 1t
could very probably have been reduced
to q formal as we'll as an actual nullity
by the exercise of little patience.
The aggressive attitude assumed by
Bulgaria, and illustrated Ly the send
ing of ship flying the Bulgarian flag
thru the Bosphorus was un:alled for
by any act Of the Turkish government.
The day of Turkish oppression in Bull
gsria passed long ago. Today only
two and half per cent of the Bulgar-
ian population is Mosiem, and the. evil
dences of any Turkish claim Of sover-
eighty would be hard to find outside of
the government archives. In the alb.
sence of Intervention by the great
powers the outcome of q war would
very likely resemble that of the last
war between that of Turkey and Greece
Turkey has at least eight times the
population of Bulgaria, which, by the
way, is about equal to that of New
York City or the State of Missouri
The Moslem, reused, is good tighter
and the boastful Bulgarian army wouie
probably fare no better than did tina
of the Greeks.
Servia, with population about one
sixth greater than that of MinnesOt,
was eager for war with Austria Hun
gary, with population of forty-sevel
million and total militsry strength
active and reserved, of between fiv'
aud six million men. And whyp JUS
because tradition links the ancient his
tory of Servis with that Of Bosnia an,
HeI zegOvlna as parts Of the same king
dom, and some Servians still dwell II
those provinces whose ethnic appeal
. for union with Servia. But since tn
days when those provinces were unde
the Servian flag, populations have 8
changed and shifted that the Servian
> constitute but small percentage of tn
whole. So there is really no substa ntis
basis for the Servian furore at Aut
tria's formal annexation of two PROV
inces long ION the map" as parts of he
> domain. There can be no world-symps
thy with Servia, any more than wit
Bulgaria. These two small nation
. have caused treaties to be torn I
: shreds and placed the greater power
. in danger of conflict Of ambition
and policies which is almost certain
! lead to political developments of tn
u first Importance. Both are simple di
turbers of the peace, without caus
y and they would only be getting the
= deserts if they were soundly spanke
70 F.
= " Hsc WIFI DOxUnr