Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1913-07-11

sadly crippled-and instituted systematic plan
Of military organization, on the model OF the
greater European nations.
The result was that Turkey feared to wiring
from Montenegro all the privileges the sultan
had really gained under the last treaty
During the next fourteen years there We're
many covert outbreaks along the frontier In
fact, such affairs have always been regular top
les Of gossip in Montenegro up to the present
time
1t came in 1875, when Servia declared war all
by herself against Turkey, and Montenegro threw
In the whole force and weight Of her 10000 In
habitants with Servia's 100000. There had
been some rumor of Russian declaration Of war
against the sultan. But Montenegro did not wait
for this. That was not the Montenegrin way
Fight for your brothers against any Odds that
is the Montenegro creed and Prince Nicholas
acted upon it. The blood of Tchernagora ran as
holly as of old But there was more than hot
blood and desperate courage to throw into the
balance for the principality this time, There was
the result of all the scientific preparations Mich
olas had been making for fourteen years
His increased standard of efficiency told right
at the start, when he was able to rally 10000 men
to his standard-the largest army Montenegro
had ever put in the field Instead Of waiting for
the Turks to attack he pressed the war into the
enemy's country ~
BY means of series OF combats that he after
ward loved to style "Homeric' in his moments Of
Renaissance, the prince compelled Ntksc to capt.
uate an achievement which, in his peoples opin-
ion, overshadowed all the others of the war, for
Niksic had stood for centuries threatening out
post of the Moslem power at their very gates.
Then, unwearfed by the months OF steady Tight
ing, the prince countermarched his army to the
south, pressed on to the sea coast and for the
- 49,
istence, the Montenegro eagles bathed in the
brine Of the Adriatic. Antivari and Dulcigno
both fell, and Skutari-the bloody Skutarf' Of
the Montenegro ballads-was ,besieged, when
news Of peace came
Well might Nicholas sit back content In
Succession of campaigns that had met with I'M
broken victory, he had pushed forward his from
tiers in every direction. He had reduced every
Turkish fortress within striking distance of his
frontiers. save Skutari
So passed more than thirty years-eventful
they would have been called in any other part Of
Europe, but somewhat dreary for Montenegro
So long ago as 1863 of his own free-will and
without any pressure indeed, in the face Of the
opposition of many Of his advisers-he voluntar
lily granted the country a constitution and abro-
gated his despotic powers, In form at least-for as
a matter Of fact so long as Nicholas lives the
6VN0lniHSut VI NAOAleHeSlO Will DC q uoH0NOlSut
despotism, BY and with the glad consent OF the
people.
Since then he has granted other reforms and
has done everything possible to promote the in
dividuality and talent for selfgovernment Of his
subjects
1t is as fierce ruthlessly fanatical crusaders
that like best to think Of Nicholas and his peo-
pie; such crusaders as followed Richard the
Lon-Heart to within sight of the walls Of Jeru-
salem; of the same calber as the Franks Of the
Fourth Crusade who, under Dandolo Count Bald
win and Montserrat stormed Constantinople and
set up on the shores OF the Bosphorus a Latin
empire that might have checked the Moslem tidal
wave had Europe backed them W.