The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-07
TURKISH OPPRESSION
 BECAME UNBEATABLE
The Minister Details Several Incidents Which Are Examples of Offensive Treatment of Bulgaria
 By Turkey.

M. Poprikoff the Bulgarian minister Of
 foreign affairs, has sent a cable dispatch
 to the Associated Press giving an authori-
 tative explanation of the Bulgarian stu-
 ation. in reply to a cablegram requesting , an official statement of the facts. It is
 as follows:
 "Tirnovo, Bulgaria, October 6, 1908. Pursuant to the treaty of Berlin Bull garia has been principality tributary to Turkey. Many years ago Bulgaria quired the right to have diplomatic repre- sertstves accredited to all the great pow CTS. She maintained such a representative
 at Constantinople. Until recently the dip- lomatic representative of Bulgaria to Tur- <, key was invited with the other members l of the diplomatic corps. in Constantinople, 1 to all official ceremonies receptions and [ dinners. On September 12 last the oc- 1 casion being the anniversary of the Sul- ] tan's birthday, the Turkish minister of | foreign affairs gave a dinner to the dplo- i matic corps to which the diplomatic rep resentative of Bulgaria was not invited. 1 Steps were at once taken to secure an
 explanation of this neglest The Ottoman
 government replied that the Bulgarian ] iNPNVo'EhdAiNc he1u nO AiShl lO CAptCl ttii l invitation to this diplomatic dinner as Bulgaria was a vassal state of Turkey.
 There then followed diplomatic con
 ;iict between Bulgaria and Turkey. Bull garia considered that Turkey was not
 respecting the rights acquired by her and
 she desired to defend these rights. This | was the first incident.
 The Oriental Railroad company oper- l ates 300 kilometres 0s6 miles) of line in | Bulgarian territory. The same company | operates also about 1000 kilometres (621 | nliles) of line in Turkish territory. A recent strike on the property of the Orien- tai Railroad company in Turkey spread | at the same time to Bulgarian territory. 1 This strike was decided upon and directed ] from outside of Bulgaria. Following an understanding with the representative of l the Oriental Railroad company, the Bull l Sarlan government took over temporarily | the running of the road. The strike, how | ever, spread until the national security 1 of Bulgaria was threatened and the peo- l pie became dscontented with the state of | affairs.
 "It then became the duty of the Bull l garian government to continue running | the road and we asked the company to | sell us the rights in Bulgaria in aceord- | ance with agreement reached between l the government and the company ten | years ago. Turkey then pretended thae
 the line was her property and in q note the Turkish government demanded that the line he returned to the company. The Bulgarian government replied that it | would treat only with the company This was the second contlicv
 This situation imposed upon the Bull l garian government the necessity of fix
 ing definitely the relations between the | principality and Turkey. The new regime 1 in Turkey made it imperative as this 1 fictitious condition of vassalage createds | feelings of suspicion and distrust which ! might at any moment result in disturbing 1 the peace of the Balkans
 Bulgaria understood clearly that AEs- 1 tria- Hungary soon would annex the oc- | cupied provinces of Bosnia and Herze- 1 govina. and the general situation Was | such that Bulgaria was obliged. without l delay to declare her complete independ- 1 ence.
 Consequently. yesterday, October 3. Bulgaria was proclaimed an independent kingdom and Prince Ferdinand accepted the title of king of Bulgaria This act was contemplated to all the great pow CTS by proclamation declaring that Bull garia was independent. Bulgaria has no aggressive aims She has given regular form to a situation that already existed de facto.
 We believe that the powers will ap- prove the proclamation of Bulgaria to | be an independent kingdom. This arr | need in no way trouble the peace of Eu- rope or the Balkans. The powers. who desire peace, in Europe, and particularly those who desire the maintenance of the ! new regime in Turkey. will be the more | convinced of the truth of what I say as l soon they are satisfied that 1t Is Bull garas purpose, by this act, to aid in tho streng thening of this regime.
 ''POPRIKOFF, Minister of Foreign Affairs"