New-York tribune., 1908-10-06
D,s,fguBER1yG 4 coyTALEsCEyT.

The sinister significance of the recent VISIT Oh
the Prince of Bulgaria TO the King OF HuhS'l!
is now apparent. 1t meant a scheme lor Tue
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the conyalescent SICK hHh
of Eurone." We referred some time ago to
Austro Hungarian plans for the annexation OF
Bosnia and Herzegovina and TO bugarlan
nIsps for the proclamation of entire lnde-
pendence of Turkey, and 10 the eminent desir-
ability of not letting such impatient ambitions
interfere with the rehabilitation of the turkish
Fn1nire There is reason to fear that dehD-
crate purpose is at work TO push those anlpi-
tions to immediate realization in order 10 balk
and annul that rehabilitation. On no Othel
theory is il easy to explain the recent and cur
rent sequence of events.
We may concede that the Turkish govern
ment acted with such lack Of tact as Is seiuoih
TO be charged against it in what Is Known as
the Gueshof incident, when it omitted TO invite
that Bulgarian agent TO q reception OF lorelen
ambassadors and ministers on the ground thaI
ba WAS merely the representative of a Tassal
state and not Of an Independent power mat
Ground was of course literally true ana EaIlu'
hut II was indisCreet to stand upon IL, as Ihe
! Porte quickly realized. Instead, however Oh
| accentfpg the handsome apology Whlch tne
| Porte promptly made. the bulgarian govern
ment fomented strike on TURKISH rallroau
in Eastern Rumelia. took military possession OF
1 ite lawful owners. declaring that it meant to
disnose Of the road as it pleased without regard
I to turkey. At the same time Prince Ferdinand
hastened UP to Budapest to confer WIFI 'ne
Emperor King Francis Joseph.
! II would he bad enough if, in addition 10 pro
claiming her independence. Bulgaria were 10
! seize Eastern Rumelia, as indeed she is pre-
/ sumablv doing and Austria Hungary were 10
declare her annexation Of Bosnia and Here
! govina, for such action would ceftalmy lhiperh
/ the success of the reform movement in Turkey
and would perhaps precptate Balkan war.
! R,1+ much more is threatened. bulgarian lnde-
& r,andenca would be complete under the assump-
tion bv Ferdinand of the title Of King OF bui-
! garia But his ambition goes beyond that ana
/ aims at the rank Of "Czar of the Bulgars.
/ That of course would mean his pretension OF
! sovereignty over the I'ulgars Of Macedohla' anu
: that in turn would certainly provoke other
J mowers 10 reprisalS. Mr- Rain mas fecehu5
bann visiting the Greeks of SalOnca, and We
! may be sure that n Bulgarian grab at Macedo-
MIA would be met with Greek counter-grab'
/ xrl,iIo italy would enforce her claims upon a
/ mart Of Albania, and what Germany would re-
/ o,,ira as CONDENSATION for the smashing Of the
! treaty Of Berlin must he left to the imagnatloh
p Of those who realize the extent Of German rail-
! road and commercial interests in Asia Minor
! and Mesopotamia.
II would he a depIorable thing to have ne
J renascent Turkish Empire hurled back INTO
! chaos to crafty the ambitions of Prince Ferdi-
pa7d The tortnous career of that prince has
( caused much anxiety and disquiet in South
eastern Europe. especially since Bulgaria
/ greatest statesman Stephen Stamhuloh, was
/ hr1Itally murdered by those who wished to nave
! the prince freed from the wise restraint OF MS
dominant personality, and Bulgaria herseh mas
hcen 4 g1.ievous lawhreaker and troubler OF
the pcace As between Bulgaria ana turkey
were the two left TO settle affairs between
themselves. the sympathy Of the major part OF
the world would probably be with the latter
Ru+ Bulgaria is almost certainly not acuhS
alone She must have the backing of Austria
Hungary. and some recent cryptic utlerances
of Prince Won Bulow suggest that the DuaI
/ Realm may in turn have the backing or at
least the assured acQuiescence of Germany
BEFORE such an array of force Turkey would be
HELPLESS But the eXertiOn of such force LOT
such an end would not be 10 the honor, nor
can we believe that it would be to the best
profit. of Europe.