Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-02-07
OF THE K WAR AND
EVENTS LEADING UP TO BLOODSHED

result Oh inc IuF"KO-ttuSSlaH NaT vi
lS17-1S7S. which was ended by the peace
of St. Stefano OF March 3, 1878. Mon
tenegro. Servia. Runlania and Bull
garia had previously existed as parts
of The Turkish empire. The first three
by this treaty were recognized us in
dependent and Bulgaria was to have
a suzefa in Christian prince. Reforms
We're to be introduced into the rest OF
Turkey in Europe. The treaty aroused
great opposition from the European
powers and on June 4 Great. Britain
concluded a treaty to protect Turkey
in Asia against Russian c%onquests. re-
ceiving the island of Cyprus as a uuid
pro quo. Germany mediated between
Russia and Great Britain to prevent
war. and the three pOwers having come
to n preliminary understanding. the
congress Of Berlin tJune IL to July
IL. 1879 was held to revise the treaty
of San Stefano. The provisions of the
berlin treaty followed the lines of the
earlier one.
On July "a. 1903, the sultan of Tur-
key proclaimed the restoration of the
constitution of 1876. which act way
followed on October s by the proclama-
ton of the independence of Bulgaria
by Prince Ferdinand. who had been
elected hereditary prince by the Bull
gal'ian national assembly on July ..
1880. an election recognized by the SUI
hliine porte in a firman of March PA.
1895. Hungary followed on Oc-
tober Z. 1908, with the assertion of
rights "f sovereignty and succession ia
Bosnia and Herzegovina. their mill
tary occupation and administration
having been ceded by the sublime porte
in the treaty of Berlin. Opposition of
the powers prevented such an asser-
tiun. In respect to the Sanjak of Novi
Isazar. in which Austria Hungary had
similar privileges. The popular assem-
hiN cf Crete pp.Oc1ain,ol ito ,ninp V,ith
Greece at the same time. but this
has not been formally recognized by
the Berlin treaty powers.
Foes Occupy Territory,
The territories remaining under Tur-
kish sovereignty in Europe consisted
of the vilayetS of Chatalja (Mutessari-
fat,p Adrianople. Salonika. Monastir.
Kossovo, Skutari (Albania.) and va
nina. With the exception OF the Alba
MAN v:layets of Skutari and Yanina.
all this Turkish territory has been ok
tensiNelA Inhabited and occupied by
BulgarianS. Greeks, Servians and Mon
%tenegrins. all OF whom have been
h%anapered By the Turkish administra-
ton and have been denied political
rights i'm the territories. Within the
same territory also these nationals
have always found themselves not onlN
in opposition to the Turkish admins
tration. but the subjects among them
selves of fierce rivalry. which has fire.
qliently resulted in bloodshed and ON
tlbuted to a turbulence already
chronic because of the inhumane char
actei1stics of Turkish rule. The ameli-
Grafton of these co1ditions has consti-
tuted the Balkan problem for many
wears. An effort to establish an in
ternational regime under the Murzsteg
agreement OF 1903 fell to the ground
with the establishment of the Turkish
constitutional monarchy and for the
past four Years hopes for the better
nlent OF conditions nave been based on
n suppOsititious good Intentions OF
the young Turkish regime.
Lorg Sought Reforms.
Disorder and discomfort have been
chronic and the insistence OF the Bal
kan sovereign states on the introduce
though the conflicting interests of the
powers signatory of the Berlin treaty
have prevented satisfactory initiation
of reforms. The basis of insistencc on
these has been Article XNIII of The
I5crlin treaty. which cad as follows:
ihe sublime porte undertakes scrl,-
nl,'"usly to apply in the island of Crete
the organic law of 1865, with such mod
ihcations as may be considered eluit-
able.
Similar laws adapted to local re-
tulrenents, excepting as regards the
NN.ilpeioH AiosH ldAaIlOH granted to
Crete. snail also be introduced into the
other parts of Turkey in Europe for
which no special organization has been
provided by the present treaty.
The Sublime Porte shall deputc spe-
"l;l commissions. in which the native
element shall be largely represented. to
settle the details of the new laws in
each province.
The schemes of organization result
ing from these labors shall be submit
ted fo-' examination to the Sublime
Porte. which. before promulgatiIig the
acts for putting them into force. shall
consult the European commission in
st1tute for eastern Rumelia."
The .Turko- Italian war in Tripoli i'm
evitahly brought to the fore the con-
ditiOns in the Turkish vilayets which
we're unsatisfactory to the adjacent
states: Last summer Mohammedan
Albania was engaged in revolution
against the Turkish power with the
object of scouting desired reforms. In
August the Berlin signatories-Great
Britain. Germany. Austria Hungary.
France. Italy and Russia-were pre-
scented by Count Won Berchtold, the
Austro.H Hungarian minister for foreign
fishing a regime in the vllayets which
might prove satisfactory to Europe and
the Balkans. Much discussion of the
proposition was had and Turkey an
bounced an Intention to promulgatc the
law which hati been formulated in 1880
in accordance with the terms of the
Treaty of Berlin. but which had never
been ~executeE. Later it was announced
that this scheme of reform. the work
Of an international commission. was
tn be revised by Turkey and tina a
draft law would be submitted to the
M ~ a. e. 0.% AZ au.;na..