The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-03

generally has bathered the impression that on steel leather hides and many other articles the new Congress will authorize tariff rates considerably be- low those now levided. President-olect Taft has made 1t plain that he expects his party to live up to It's platform declaration regarding the tariff. The revision of the tarif by the sixty-hrst Congress shall be thorough and hon. est" are his words. The platform on which Taft was elected declares that 6 special session of Congress shall be called immediately following his in auguration to readjust tariff schedules Maximum anr minimum rates are to be established, the minimum to repre- sent the normal protection at home. the maxium to be applied in case or discontinuations in trade.
 Changing the May of Europe.
 The history of the world outside of the United States during the last year reveals three powerful agencies at work--love of liberty. love of race and love of land.
 In Bulgaria the cause of liberty was championed by Prince Ferdinand, who on October announced the complete independence of that country from Turkey and proclaimed himself Gear of all the Bulgars." Turkey protested to the Powers that the Bulgarian coup was c fragrant violation of the Berlin Treaty. In reply Poprikoff, Buigaria.s Minister of Foreign Affairs. issued this official statement:
 Bulgaria has no aggressive aims. She has given regular form to a site uation that already existed de facto. We believe that the Powers will ap- prove the proclamation of Bulgaria to be an independent Kingdom. This act need in no way trouble the peace of Europe or of the Balkan countries"
 Although the Berlin Treaty of 1878 made Bulgaria | principality. subject to Turkish rule. Tufkey of late years had exercised only a nominal suzerainty The tribute to Turkey imposed by the treaty was never paid by Bulgaria.
 Eastern Roumelia, which Bulgaria incorporated after defeating Servia in 1885 and whichm rendered tribute to the Porte in accord with the treaty was also freed from Turkey, and this end of the rivet Ferdinand moved his court and army into PhilIppopolis. the eastern Roumsllan capital.
 In the Balkan muddie racial pre-. judice and national cowetousness prov. ed to be counter forceR Austria, for example moved by the latter possession enlarged her boundaries by anuexing on October 6 Bosln and Herzegovina Servia chagrined by the suddenly in- creased ascendsncy of the Teuton, be- came hystericai with talk of war with Austria, Montenegro, whose people are largely akin to those of Servia, promis- ing to aid Servia in the event of . elaah.
 A railroad strike was the match which set the Balkans ablaze. Early in September the Oriental Railroad. running from Constantinople through Eastern Roumelia and into Bulgaria. and Joining with the line to Vienna. was tied up with labor troubles. "to along that portion the road in Bull garian territory.
 When the strike was at an end Turkey, which has proprietary inte. rests In the road guaranteed by the Berlin treaty, asked Bulgaria to with draw her troops. Bulgaria declined. saying that she would deal with the railroad company. not with Turkey. The explosion, however, did not some until diplomatic dinner and been given in Constantinopie without issuing any invitation to the Bulgarian re- presentative. Bulgaria protested. Tur- key replied that Bulgaria was a vassal state. and, accordingly, her re- presentative was not In the same class with the other diplomats.
 On October 3 the fact was made pub lie that the Emperor Of Austria-Hun. gary had written the great Powers that the time had come for his Government to annex Bosia and Herzegovina. AL though the Berlin treaty had placed these two countries in Austrian hands for administration, they were. never theless, to be considered under the sovereignty of the porte. Ferdinand however, did not wait for Francis Joseph. On the day before Austria actually carried out her plan Bulgaria's Prince amid great pomp and ceremony at Tirnova, the historic capital of Bull earta proclaimed Bulgaria indepen- dent.
 Two days after the Bulgarian coup the Greeks of Crete, comprising nine- tnths of population of the island evil dence their love for their own Otta- pie by suddenly throwing of the Otto man yoke and declaring themselves the subjects of the King of Greece.
 England acted the most promptly of the outside Powers by sending a fleet of war ships to the mouth of the Dardanelles. The Russian press averred that this act was not only to hold Turkey in check until another congress of the Powers might investigate. but also to check mate any one that the CSar might make to obtain "siice for the bear" That Germany was behind Austria's move has been asserted by the Servains. on finding that the Kaiser had intercepted the supply of ammuni- tion which Servia had ordered from France.
 Should the Powers either tacisy or formally eventually ratify what has been done in the Balkans all that T1spkAu will hava lAff in E,apano Ir cludes only the narrow neck of land between the Black and Aegean seas, the three vllayets of Kossowo Monastlr and Salonika, which comprise what the outside world knows as Macedonia. and Albania. on the Adriatic. This en- tire aera is not much larger than that of the state of Missouri
 Even out of this Albania may be taken away from Turkey. Although constituted a Turkish province by the Berlin treaty; it's autonomy is to be guaranteed by Austria and Italy in case Turkeys status quo is upset Italy long has coveted Albania. situated as 1t Is just across the Adriatic, and with the heel of Italy ironing a gate way to that sea.
 Another change in the worlds man was effected on September 9, when the Belgian Senate adpoted the Congo am nexation treaty. Now that this great African state has come under the colonial Jurisdiction of Belgium. the misgovernment of King Leopold in Africa becomes a thing of the past as does also the world-wiee move ment which was 50 vigorously waKed to abate the cruelties to the Congo natives for the purpose of increasing the Congo rubber supply.
 Liberty for Turkey at Last.