Charlevoix county herald., 1913-08-02

sadly crippled-and instituted a systematic plan
of military organization, 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 tho next fourteen years there were
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
II came in 1876. when Servia declared all
by herself against Turkey, and Montenegro threw
in the whole force and weight OF her 100000 in
habitants with Servia's 100000. There had
been some rumor OF a Russian declaration OF war
against the sultan. But Montenegro did not wait
for this. That not the Montenegrin way.
Fight for your brothers against any Odds, that
is the Montenegrin creed and Prince Nicholas
acted upon II. The blood OF Tchernagora ran as
holly as Of old But there more than hot
blood and desperate courage 10 throw into the
balance for the princpality this time. There was
the result OF all the scientific preparations Mich
oas had been making for fourteen years.
His increased standard of efficiency told right
al the start when he able to rally 10000 men
10 his standord-the largest army Montenegro
had ever put in the field. Instead OF waiting for
the Turks to attack. he pressed the war into the
cnemyS country.
BY means of a series of cou.bats that he after.
ward loved to style 'Homerc" in his moments Of
"Reminiscences the prince compelled Niksic TO capt.
uatc. an achievement which. in his peoples opin
ion ovcrshadowed all the others Of the war; for
Niksic had stood for centuries a threatening out
post Of the Moslem POWER ar their very gates
Then unwearici by the months of steady fight
Ing the prince countermarched his army to the
south. Pressed to the coast, and for the
first time in the centuries OF MonteneGros eX-
isence the Montenegriu eagles bathed In the
brine OF the Adriatic Antivari and Dulcigno
both fell and Skutari--the bloody Skutari" OF
Tho Ar,t nrriv, hall 10 hncfn hon
news OF peace came.
We'll might Nicholas sit back content In
succession of campaigns that had met with un-
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 eyentfuI
they would have been called in any other part OF
Europe, but somewhat dreary for Montenegro.
So long ago 1868, of his own free-wi and
wlthou; any pressure indeed, in the face OF the
opposition of many OF bis advsers-he voluntar-
lily granted the country constitution and abro-
gated his dcspotic powers in form at least-for AZ
matter OF fact so long Nicholas lives the
government Of Montenegro will be a benevolent
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 ard talent for self government OF his
subjects
1t Ia 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 caliber as the Franks OF the
Fourth Crusade. who, under Dandolo Count Bald
win and Montserrat stormed Constantinope and
set up on the shores Of the Bosphorus Latin
empire that might have checked the Moslem tidal
wave had Europe backed them up