The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-13
SOME BULGARIAN HISTORY.

Much almost forgotten history is re-
called by the recent thrilling events in
Europe, and the danger that hangs
over her of a bloody and many-sided
war.
Within the memory of many of the
older citizens are the days when the
frightful Bulgarian atrocities were re-
ported to the British foreign office by
an American newspaper man, sent to
inquire into the reports which were be-
ing received in London, but which. In
those days. were not easy of vertical
ton. All the Christian world was hor-
ror stricken by the frightfuI facts that
Mr.. MacGahan had to report to Lon
don. That so little was done by the
great civilized nations of the world to
avenge the horrors of the wholesale as
destinations in Bulgaria is not to Chris
tian credit. The public excitement In
England was intense, and it is related
by one historian that the public clamor
was so great that the prime minister
was forced to maintain a strict neu-
trality," when it is inferred, his prefer
ence and his agreements called upon
him to defend Turkey despite the atroc-
tiles.
For Russia made the mistreatment OF
the Christians, their massacre and the
unnamable cruelty practiced upon them
by the Musselmans, the excuse for war.
1t must have been a spectacle for the
intelligent world to see Russia push
ing forward great armies of invasion
to punish Turkey for the maltreat-
ment of Christians, armies of which the
Car himself was at the head. while
the prime minister of England found
himself forced by the clamor of the
people ito maintain strict neutrality"
Russia's real motive, probably, was
no more honorable than England's, be-
cause at the close of the war on the
Balkan peninsula Russia took good
care that her own territorial bounda-
ries were much enlarged. Desire to
punish atrocities to Christians had
been the pretext, actual conquest of de-
sired territory was the result.
But the result of that war was still
more far reaching. The war closed
with the treaty of San Stefano. but the
powers were not satisfied with its pro-
visions. and accepted Bismarck's invita-
ton to a congress at Berlin. 1t was
in connection with this conference
which formulated the treaty of Berlin,
now broken by both Bulgaria and Aus
tria. that Lord Beaconsfield did the un-
precedented thing of being himself the
delegate from England to the confer
ence. He doubtless felt that with the
clever, not to say tricky; diplomats with
whom he had to deal, 1t was unsafe
to leave England's interests in less
powerful and cunning hands than his
own.
1t is interesting to note in this con-
nection that the term lingo" as APP
piled to a war party, originating In
England and adopted here, was the
outgrowth of the Balkan war, recalled
by the near Eastern events of the past
few days. Some inglorious Milton, who
might better have been mute, composed
a song the refrain of which were the
lines. so familiar to all: I'VE don't
want to fight, but. by lingo, if we do,
we've got the ships, We've got the men,
we've got the money, too" This was
sung in the theaters and music halls to
the great excitement of the multitudes,
and the name lingo" was seized upon
to indicate the war party, and 1t has