Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-18

The congress Of 1878 by article %
Of the Berlin treaty provided for the
autonomy Of Macedonia, composed Of
Salonika, Uskub and Monastir. Rus
sia's concessions were considered ex-
cessive and were afterward reduced.
The autonomy of Macedonia never came
into effect, for the reason that Austria
was against 1t and had merely con-
sented out Of courtesy to such a stipu-
lation.
The Bulgarian government, follow
ing the events Of 1878, started an agi-
tation among the Macedonians to the
end of wrestling Macedonia from the
Turks and annexing the territory. 1t
was not difficult to stir up sentiment
to this end for the reason that the
people make no distinction to the
church and the state. Their word millet
same time nation. The theoretical idea
prevailed. All Moslems consider them
selves Of the same nation. In 1850 Rus
sia had started the discussion for the
emancipation of Bulgaria from Tur-
key. The Bulgarian exarche or ma
tional church came into existence in
1871. The Greek church is the patri-
arche ecumenic.
The exarche appoints all school teach
ers and priests who go among the
Bulgarians living in Macedonia, and
emissaries and agitators since 1878
have been sent there in great quanti-
ties urging the Macedonians to annex
themselves with the Bulgarians. The
result of this agitation has been that
in 1903 the Macedonian insurrection
had to be suppressed by the German
government.
The Bulgarian government protested
against the alleged Turkish atrocities
at this time. The writer was then in
Macedonia and saw none. The afro
cities were on the part of the Chris
tians exterminating each other with
dreadful cruelties in Macedonia. Fol-
lowing the protest Of Bulgaria, how
ever, the European powers met in
Murzsteg. The programme Of Murz-
steg provided for reorganization Of
the militia and a sort Of civil agency
reform commission composed the
Egent Civil to supervise the admins
tration of Turkey in Macedonia and to
investigate complaints Of all kinds. A
financial commission was instituted to
supervise the Macedonia budget.
All this pacification was without re-
suit; there was always a kind Of civil
war going on.
Servia and Greece had become jeal-
Gus Of the European protection afford
ed Bulgaria. And now Servian and
Greek agitators and emissaries inflam-
ed the Greek and Servian population,
not against the Turkish government,
but against the Bulgarian population
in Macedonia The result of this was
that after 1905 the Christians in Mace
donia did not fight Turkey but exter-
minated each other. All the different
revolutionary committees Of Servia,
Greece and Bulgaria sent out armed
bandits to Macedonia to fight the
Christians.
In the southern part Of Macedonia
the fighting was between the Bulgari-
ans and the Greeks and in the north
ern parts it was between the Bulgari-
ans and the Servians. There never was
a crueller war Of determination than
the Servians, the Bulgarians and
Greeks conducted against each other.
The writer saw simple peasants who
refused to yield to the jurisdiction of
Bulgaria skinned alive.
The Civil Agency Reform commits
sion labored for five years without any
result. In 1908 came the Young Turk
ish revolution and the restitution of the
Turkish constitution, which had been
abolished by Abdul Hamid. Then the
trouble stopped. The Macedonians
were weary of guerrilla warfare. The
Servians, Bulgarians and Greeks had
spent all their money and they believ-
ed the constitutional system would ruin
the Turkish empire. AS for the Young
Turks, they were inexperienced. 1t was
hoped that Turkey would grant consti-
tutional rights to Macedonians and
that all differences involved in the sew
eral divisions Of the people would dis
appear. All the races were expected to
be satisfied with peace. This optimism
was too great. However the Bulgar-
ian, Servian and Greek bandits told the
inexperienced Young Turks that they
were friendly to the new government
and the Young Turks were foolish
enough to believe them.
For eighteen months the emissaries
in Macedonia acted as friends of the
Young Turks. Then the former condi-
tions were restored. Cruelties and
wicked depredations were common
Since these things have come about the
writer has seen Young Turks in Eu-